Brave Heart
by sparksinger
Summary: Optimus Prime loves Cordelia more than anything in the universe. Can he protect her from his own race, human kind, and herself? **Subject to change** Cover art Dominique Wesson
1. Chapter 1

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TRIGGER WARNING: Allusion of a rape.

If you enjoyed, please comment and like! ^^

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**Updates will be irregular**

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Optimus winced as Ratchet welded the jagged part of his right shoulder back together. This had to be done before his arm could be re-attached, and it almost killed me to watch him go through all of this unnecessary pain. Ratchet huffed as only he could and looked at Optimus sternly.

"I don't know why you didn't let me induce a local stasis for your shoulder joint Optimus. You don't have to be a martyr to your injuries! Gah, you're a stubborn fool at times." Optimus said nothing but growled softly, indicating that _that_ particular topic of conversation was over.

I placed a tentative hand on the back of his own, and at once his expression softened. The pained look left his optics and his noble features melted into the familiar and gentle expression of the Optimus that I knew and loved so completely. I ran my hand back and forth over the back of his large, silver hand, and he turned it over, exposing his scratched palm to me. His thumb and forefinger moved to gently hold my hand in his mammoth grasp, though he did it with such care and tenderness that I felt in no danger of my hand being crushed between his colossal fingers.

I marvelled at how someone so huge and colossal, such as he, could move around with such gentleness and ease. I was amused at how it was me, a five foot one, eight and a half stone human was attempting to comfort a twenty-eight-foot-tall robot. It seemed to work though, and a small smile found its way onto Optimus' face plate.

His defensive wall went back up as soon as Ratchet spoke.

"Right. I've welded and filed all of the necessary components in your shoulder. The welding will need to cool before I can begin the re-attachment process. Come back to me in eight hours, and you should be fully functional once more in twenty-four hours' time. The usual rules apply, no transforming, no getting it wet. Et cetera et cetera. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go and tend to the other injured. Bumblebee has a nasty mesh wound that needs to be cauterised."

With that, Ratchet scurried away, muttering to himself about wrenches and surgical repair kits. Optimus looked down at me, and the sad look that had been in his optics for the last two days was there again, albeit unwelcome. His shoulders sagged, and the covers on his audio receptors rotated furiously; indicating that he was either very angry or very upset. In this particular instance, it was both.

I gathered my auburn hair into one hand and arranged it into a messy bun just to get it off of my face. After I had secured it with the appropriate amount of hair pins, I fixed Optimus with a glare that I intended to be stern.

He looked straight at me, no doubt knowing what I was thinking without me having to voice my thoughts. I couldn't keep silent any longer. I stood up and paced up and down the examination berth.

"Optimus, why didn't you let Ratchet numb your shoulder? I hate to see you in pain…and when pain can be prevented, why choose to go through it?"

Optimus sighed and lifted the one hand that he still possessed to his faced and pinched the bridge of his nose. He looked down at me incredulously before his hand came down and scooped me up. My legs dangled over the side of his palm while my hands found their way to my lap and laid limply in it. His optics appraised me for a few seconds, and I looked him straight back in the eye, without blinking.

"Cordelia…I could ask you the same question, hmm?" I abruptly stood up in his palm, my cheeks reddening already from the heightened emotion.

"That's not fair and you know it. It isn't the same thing! Don't turn this around on me Optimus, don't you dare shut me out!"

Guilt flickered across his optics, and they dilated briefly before returning to their normal state.

"I am sorry Cordelia. That was uncalled for. I apologise. I wanted to feel the pain because…because I felt like I _deserved_ to feel it. I killed Sentinel Prime…my mentor…my guardian! I could not see past my rage Lia…all that was running through my mind was that he had taken you and that he had to _pay_ for that. **No one,** Cordelia, no one can take you away from me and not live to regret it. You are the most important person in my life and I love you more than I know how to comprehend. It was due to my negligence that you were taken away by Sentinel. This pain is…this pain is my punishment for my inability to protect you and for murdering the only bot in existence who knew me better than I know myself."

His words knocked the breath from my lungs. His optics were misty and he ground his lip plates together in an attempt to hold in his warring emotions. I held my arms out to him, and he brought me close to his face so that I could touch him. I placed both of my hands on his nose and leant my forehead against his own. My hands were trembling, but I tried to rub soothing circles into his nose and his cheeks, my version of a hug when he was not utilising his human-sized holoform.

"Don't hold it in." I whispered, my own voice wobbling as I unsuccessfully tried not to cry with him. His fingers moved to curl around me, and he gave me what we called one of his 'hand hugs'. He rose to his feet, a little clumsily as he didn't have his other arm to steady him. At my words, he squeezed his optics shut and pure water started to trickle from his optics. It came slowly at first before progressing to a steady drip, drip and finally becoming a constant stream of moving liquid.

His intakes whirred with the increased volume of air being sucked into the vents on the back of his head. We stayed like that for a few minutes, just holding each other up with our silence. Optimus drew back and looked at me. Whenever he looked at me, be it across from the battlefield or when it was just the two of us in a room, it felt like he was looking into the very depths of my soul.

"Thank you my little one. With you I can always be myself…and I am eternally grateful. May I ask you a question?" His voice was lower than usual, husky with the weight of the emotion that he had just displayed. I leant into his index finger, which had moved to caress my cheek.

"Of course you can Optimus, you can always ask me anything." He hesitated before he spoke.

"Do you forgive me?" His question took me by surprise and I was thoroughly taken aback by the very fact that he felt the need to ask it _at all._

"Optimus…" I began, my grip on his thumb tightening. "I have nothing to forgive you for…you have done **nothing** wrong." His large fingers curled into my long woollen jumper, pulling it ever so slightly.

"Please Lia…please Lia. I _need_ to hear the words."

For a few seconds I couldn't make my voice work; my throat was thick with tears, but I swallowed past the huge lump and managed to speak with a clear voice.

"Optimus Prime, I forgive you." The relief on his face was almost palpable.

"Thank you." He whispered before cycling a large volume of air through his vents. I could tell that his emotions were now put back in their respective boxes, and filed away to be dealt with later.

The sun was hot and unrelenting as we exited the medical bay. Optimus placed me on his left shoulder and then used his hand to shield my vision from the bright sunlight.

I followed Optimus' example and composed myself, wiping my tears on my cuffs of both sleeves.

"What's the weather looking like for the rest of the day? Are there any showers forecasted?" Optimus turned his head to look at me, his metallic eyebrows raised in a silent question. I shrugged. "Fancy taking a hike out to the lake?" At that, Optimus smiled.

"Yes, that sounds like exactly what we need after everything that happened."

"Good. Will you be okay walking with only one arm?" Optimus looked at me confusedly.

"Are you feeling alright Cordelia? You are aware that I use my lower limbs to walk, not my upper limbs." I laughed in spite of myself.

"That's not what I meant! Y'know when you're walking and you swing your arms?" I tried to show him what I meant by swinging my arms whilst standing precariously on his shoulder. At least it brought him out of his dark mood. I was awarded with one of his secret smiles and it lit up his features like lights on a Christmas tree.

"I, unlike some little red-headed humans, am not gravitationally challenged." He winked at me – showing me he was only teasing. I huffed and elbowed him lightly in the side of the head, showing him that I too was only teasing. He chuckled ruefully and made his way towards the base's exit. The soldiers manning the security point leapt out of the surveillance bunker and stood to attention. Optimus saluted - a little awkwardly with his left hand. Then he stepped over the surveillance bunker and made his way toward the base of the mountains, in the middle of which was nestled the most beautiful lake.

The American government had very quickly re-located the Autobot base after the carnage in Chicago. Two days ago, Optimus and I had found 'the lake'- a smallish lake surrounded by a backdrop of forest-topped mountains. If a human hiked through the thick woodland, it would surely take them at least two hours. It would probably take me longer as I would have to take extra care of the exposed roots and fallen trees. I was not the most co-ordinated of people, and the ground seemed to love having my face in it.

As Optimus picked his way over to the foot of the mountains, I wrapped my right arm around his smoke stack and let my legs dangle off of his shoulder. He chose a path where there were very few trees, and the few that he did brush past were barley disturbed by his passage. He reached the top of the first slope and straightened to his full height. The view that met my eyes took my breath away.

"Oh my God…Optimus, you can see everything from up here!" His answering smile didn't quite reach his optics.

"This planet is indeed very beautiful my little one. It is so different from Cybertron…it is refreshing." There was a sadness present in his deep baritone of a voice, but I chose not to press it. He would talk to me if and when he was ready. Instead I leant against his spinning audio receptor and played absent-mindedly with the base of his tall ear finial. The smooth metal beneath my hands gradually started to heat up, and I knew I'd found his sensitive spot. He hummed, a low sound that was hardly audible. It was akin to a cat purring, and I took comfort in the fact that I had eased his pain, even if it was only a little. "Cordelia…are you okay? You were…you were very vocal in your sleep last night."

"Hmm?" I snapped out of my daydream and shook my head a little in an attempt to ward of the sudden drowsiness that was overcoming me. "What did you say Op?" His hand rose to his shoulder and I scooted myself into his waiting palm. He raised me up to his face, looking at me thoughtfully. I started to squirm in his palm, as I always did when I was nervous.

"Are you okay? You spoke a lot in your sleep last night." I looked away from him and down at my hands, which were twisting themselves into knots. "Did you-" I nodded, answering his unfinished question. "Oh my little one, come here." He held me tenderly against his chest and I leaned into him, enjoying the soft humming sound of his Spark. "Shh. I've got you and I am here. I'm not going anywhere Lia." I nuzzled into him gratefully, the metal of his chest making my hair go slightly static as I did so.

He returned me to his shoulder and resumed a gentle pace through the woods. I marvelled at the cacophony of sounds all around us. Birds were singing in the trees and I could hear the squirrels scrambling around in the leaf litter below. Optimus took great care with each step that he didn't step on even the tiniest field-mouse.

"How do you not smoosh the squirrels and stuff Optimus?" One large optic swivelled around to look at me in amusement.

"Smoosh? I do not believe that is a word in the English language Cordelia." I shrugged.

"I just made it one. So, how come you don't _smoosh_ the animals that are small, even to me?" I deliberately enunciated the word 'smoosh' and that made him laugh.

"It is quite simple; my proximity sensors and equilibrium circuitry work together so that I do not… _smoosh_ the forest creatures." I snorted. Him saying it sounded so wrong but so adorable at the same time. "Of course, it does help if one looks where one is going." I stuck my tongue out at him and nestled into the crook of his neck. He chuckled again and we spent the rest of the journey in silence.

Silences with Optimus were never awkward or uncomfortable. Sometimes we would go for hours in each other's company without speaking and at other times we would talk until the sun rose.

Soon we arrived at the thick blanket of trees that surrounded the meadow where the lake was. Optimus gathered me gently in his fingers and set me down on the ground. I grinned up at him and then broke into a run, my now loose auburn hair bouncing on my shoulders and streaking across my face.

The grass was waist high, and the last of the summer flowers were beginning to wilt in preparation for the coming autumn. I felt the ground begin to shake as Optimus broke into a casual jog after me. Even with only one arm, he still managed to move with an easy grace. As he ran, he sent millions of dandelion seeds floating into the air. I upped my pace, pushing my legs into a sprint in a desperate attempt to beat him to the lake. Of course it was in vain. He overtook me in two easy strides and stopped just at the water's edge.

The running had made me hot, so when I reached Optimus' feet I pulled my woollen jumper off over my head and threw it into the grass. My thin vest top stayed on and I pulled it down where it had ridden up. Optimus laid down on his back in the grass and offered his hand out to me. I was deposited onto his chest and he grinned widely at me. Then his gaze darkened.

"What is it?" I asked, confused at his sudden change of mood.

He said nothing but slowly traced his index finger from my neck down to my collarbone. Ahh. I rested my hand on top of his finger. "Optimus, don't worry. Ratchet said it is fine, it's nothing to worry about. Just a scratch." His optics narrowed as he ground his lip plates together in clear annoyance.

"Why wasn't I told?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Because you would have made a mountain out of a molehill. It's a scratch Optimus, nothing more. And don't get angry with Ratchet, I asked him purposely not to tell you."

Optimus stimulated a sigh. "How?"

"Megatron. He scratched me, that's all. It bled a little but now it's fine. It didn't even need stitches." Optimus nodded warily, appeased for now. "Optimus, you worry far too much about me." He lifted his head up.

"Lia, you are the most important person to me in the entire universe, known and unknown. The idea of you being hurt…it terrifies me. If I can't be there to protect you…I need to know that you'll be safe. You can't just go looking for trouble!"

I frowned at him. "I went looking for trouble because I knew you needed help. I love you, and I need you to be safe too! I would do anything for you Optimus, you know that. If it means temporarily putting my life in danger, then I will gladly do it." He looked at me with those brilliant blue optics and pinched the bridge of his nose.

We rarely disagreed, but when we did it was nearly always about my safety. He didn't like it when I took unnecessary risks, and I knew that sometimes I frightened him with my choices…but I couldn't lose him again. Not when I'd just got him back.

"This conversation isn't over Lia…but for now, let's just be." I nodded in agreement and sat down on his vast chest, hugging my knees. "Do you want to talk about your dream?"

"It was just the usual one…he was there. Grunting on me and sweating like a pig. It even hurt last night. I haven't had a physically painful dream in a long time." Optimus nodded sadly.

"I thought as much. You cried out. I tried to wake you but you were in such a deep sleep. I held you close...I love holding you close. You're like a little kitten. My brave little kitten."

"Are _you_ okay?" He looked away from me for a second.

"I am not quite 'okay'. I am however, better for having _you_ here with me." He was holding something back. His optics had a tell-tale squint when he wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Talk to me Optimus, please." A myriad of emotions flitted across his face before he settled on anguish.

"Sentinel…how could he? How could he turn against everything he _believed_ in, against everything he taught me? He made me who I am today Lia…and now who is that? The one mech I trusted and loved with every fibre of my being…was a damned liar! The first and most inherent duty of a Prime is to _protect._ It is built into our personalities the day we emerge from the AllSpark. I know I speak for all Primes when I say that we have all felt the need to protect at least **one** thing throughout our existence. Of course, one Prime, such as The Fallen did not protect the right thing, but still, he _protected._ Sentinel protected me throughout my youth, and in return I tried my hardest to make him proud and to honour his wishes for me. I became the Prime he wanted me to be, I all but signed a death warrant for our race when I gave the order for the AllSpark to be ejected into deep Space.

I did as Sentinel bid me and it still wasn't enough for him. By ejecting the AllSpark I was protecting our planet, its very _core_ was poisoned. Now…thanks to Sentinel, Cybertron may not exist anymore.

But that night, the night when Megatron and Sentinel Space-bridged the Decepticons from Earth's moon, that was when I knew in my Spark that I had truly lost him.

You may call Sentinel my father, he may as well have been. He has seen me at my worst, my best and everything that falls in between those two extremes.

When Sentinel had me up against that statue, with his sword against my throat, I knew all was lost. The Autobot within him had perished.

Sentinel taught me everything I know and believe in. He _**made me who I am today**_ _._ His betrayal broke my Spark. It hurt me even more to end his life. But that comes right back down to the root of what being a Prime is; _to protect._

Everything I believe about being a Prime has been pulled into question…am I fit to be a leader? They should just send me off to the nearest scrap yard and leave me to rust."

I moved closer to his face and grasped his cheeks in both hands.

"Listen to me Optimus Prime. You are fit to be a leader. You are fit to be a Prime. You are not worthless. You are capable and you are valid. A wise Prime once told me that, and reminded me never to forget it." He smiled weakly at me.

"What did I do to deserve someone like you in my life?" I shrugged.

"I could ask you the same question." I said, echoing his words from earlier on.

"I am lucky to have you, Cordelia Prime." I smiled at him and snuggled into the crook between his neck and his chin. He started to 'purr' again, his metal eyelids clicking softly when he blinked. "Are you warm enough?"

"Are you kidding? I'm fine Op. You worry too much."

"Hmm." His hand moved to cover me regardless, and I nuzzled into his welcoming fingers. I latched onto one, marvelling at the thickness and strength of it. He could snap me like a tooth pick if he wanted to, but I never, _ever_ felt unsafe with Optimus.

We laid like that in silence for a while, listening to the sway of the long grass and the trees in the light wind that stirred them. The sun was beginning its descent, and as it sunk lower and lower in the sky, the birds increased the volume of their songs, as if bidding it goodnight. I knew without having to look at Optimus that he was smiling, and knew that _he_ knew I was doing the same.

He wordlessly clicked on his radio, and Sean Beeson's _Distant Sunset_ filled my ears. The soothing piano music slowed my heartbeat and the humming of Optimus' Spark slowed minutely too. My breathing started to slow and my eyelids became heavy. Just as I was about to close them, Optimus spoke up, very softly.

"Lia? Sit up very, very slowly and have a look at this." It sounded as if he was speaking stiffly, as one does when they are trying not to move their lips when they talk. I did as he said, pulling myself to my knees. When I stumbled a little, Optimus' middle and index finger gently pushed me into a standing position. His optics were looking down his face and past his nose directly at me. It gave him the look of being cross-eyed, and he looked extremely comical like that.

It took me a few seconds to realise what he wanted me to look at, and to figure out why he had been trying to speak without moving his lip plates. A beautiful blue butterfly had landed on the very tip of his nose, and was opening and closing its wings very slowly. The upper-side of the wings were the most brilliant sky blue, whilst the underside was a muddy brown.

"Oh wow…" I whispered, hardly daring to breathe for fear of starling the butterfly.

"Oh wow indeed. She is a _Morpho Helenor_ or a Common Blue Morpho." Optimus mused, his optics lifting upward with his signature small smile. " _The caterpillar dies so the butterfly could be born. And, yet, the caterpillar lives in the butterfly and they are but one. So, when I die, it will be that I have been transformed from the caterpillar of earth to the butterfly of the universe_ _._ That was Ironhide's favourite quote. I believe John Harricharan said it. It is a beautiful quote."

"Optimus…in some cultures, the butterfly symbolises death or rebirth after death. Some believe that butterflies are actually the souls of our departed loved ones…maybe Ironhide has come to say goodbye."

Optimus was about to reply when his radio shut off the soothing piano music. After a short second of static, a deep, male voice came over Optimus' speakers. The pair of us listened in silence as the words rumbled from his speakers.

" _Do not stand at my grave and weep._

 _I am not there; I do not sleep._

 _I am a thousand winds that blow._

 _I am the diamond glints on snow._

 _I am the sunlight on ripened grain._

 _I am the gentle autumn rain._

 _When you awaken in the morning's hush_

 _I am the swift uplifting rush_

 _Of quiet birds in circled flight._

 _I am the soft stars that shine at night._

 _Do not stand at my grave and cry;_

 _I am not there; I did not die."_

We looked at each other in a stunned silence. The piano music resumed as the speaker's voice faded into nothingness, as if nothing at all had changed. The butterfly took off from the tip of Optimus' nose and fluttered towards me.

Instinctively, I held my hand out for it, and was thoroughly surprised when it landed on me. Its wingspan was roughly the same size as the palm of my hand, and her tiny little feet tickled me as she danced on the spot. She spent a few seconds in my palm and then fluttered up to my face, and alighted on my nose. Her wings covered most of my face, and Optimus temporarily disappeared from view. Her proboscis came out and moved softly up and down the bridge of my nose.

Then she took off again, this time seeking purchase on the tip of Optimus' index finger. Her proboscis extended once more, doing the same to the tip of Optimus' finger as she had done to my nose. A look of pure wonder came onto Optimus' face, and I was certain that my expression mirrored his own.

A light wind picked up then, and the butterfly took off and flew towards the trees.

"Goodbye, my old friend." Optimus' voice was soft and husky, his low baritone trembling with emotion.

I nodded my head in the direction of the butterfly, and then my eyes welled up with tears.

"Did you play that poem Optimus?" He shook his great head.

"No little one, I did not." I didn't respond, purely because I didn't know what to say. Optimus seemed to feel the same way as well, choosing not to fill the silence with any meaningless words.

We laid back in the grass, well Optimus did – I curled up on his chest and was warmed by the soft heat of his Spark, humming contentedly behind its casing. Within seconds, sleep had welcomed me into its comforting arms.

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When I awoke, the sunlight had given way to the dusk of the early evening. Optimus' hand was curled loosely around me, heated so that I wouldn't feel the fresh bite of the evening. I turned over onto my stomach and pushed myself upwards into a kneeling position. Yawning, I combed my hair with my fingers to get the tangles out.

"Sorry I fell asleep, I just got so tired!" Underneath me, Optimus' chest moved slightly with the motion of his light chuckle.

"Don't apologise for falling asleep Lia, you needed the rest. I started a new book."

"Oh?" Optimus was an avid reader, and his interest ranged from non-fictional autobiographies to teen romance, to crime fiction. I smiled as I remembered his reaction to the _Twilight_ saga.

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" _She is in love with this…vampire?"_

" _Mmhmm." I nodded, enjoying his innocent confusion._

" _But humans are the vampires' natural prey. Why would she willingly put her life in danger?"_

 _I shrugged. "Because she loves him, and she trusts his self-control."_

 _It got even funnier when he reached the final book in the series._

" _She is with child?"_

 _I nodded, smiling._

" _I thought a human pregnancy lasted for nine months?"_

" _It does."_

" _How can she have only been pregnant for two months and given birth to a healthy female?"_

 _I laughed again._

" _That's teen fiction for you Optimus?"_

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"What are you reading this time?"

" _Tess of the D'Urbervilles,_ written by Thomas Hardy. I am not far in, only fifty-eight pages so far. But I think I will enjoy it."

"Okay, well I won't spoil it for you."

"Have you read it?"

"Yup!"

"Did you enjoy it?"

I hesitated before answering. "Yes I did, but I had to read it in stages. You'll find out why soon."

He nodded and opened his mouth in a yawn. He'd told me that all Cybertronians had to do that on occasion to regulate the temperature of their central processing units. Optimus had said since arriving on earth, he'd begun to yawn out of habit, not out of genuine need. The result was a look so sweet and endearing that it never failed to put a smile on my face.

"That reminds me! Whilst I was reading, I was also listening to the radio, and they played a song which reminded me of you. I can play it for you if you like?"

"Okay. I'm intrigued." He smiled at me and started to play the song.

Soft percussion accompanied by an acoustic guitar sounded through Optimus' speakers. A female voice began to sing, her light airy vocals a nice complement to the music.

 _Each and every day it's the same old game  
And I play alone  
Round and round we go but we never know  
When we should get off_

And we both tried, but that's just life  
And now come to an end  
The tears have dried, made up my mind  
And know I'm ready to begin

Gotta let go even though I'm scared to death  
I'm here alone, but I still got one thing left  
I've got a brave heart  
I've got a brave heart  
I got a brave heart

I guess the safer play would've been to stay  
Just make your world  
But the other side is calling me tonight  
Even though it hurts

And we both tried, but that's just life  
And now come to an end  
The tears have dried, made up my mind  
And know I'm ready to begin

Gotta let go even though I'm scared to death  
I'm here alone, but I still got one thing left  
I've got a brave heart  
I've got a brave heart  
I got a brave heart

I don't know, know, where we're going  
I can't breathe, breathe, all fading starts  
I don't know, know, where I'm heading  
Just know, know, you're stealing my heart  
I wouldn't change a single page of my history  
I'm gonna keep all the letters you wrote to me

Each and every day it's the same old game  
And I play alone  
Round and round we go but we never know  
When we should get off

Gotta let go even though I'm scared to death  
I'm here alone, but I still got one thing left  
I've got a brave heart  
I've got a brave heart  
I got a brave heart

"Oh Optimus…that's lovely. I don't know what else to say! Are you determined to make me cry?" I laughed, wiping my eyes as they welled up _yet again._

"Oh Lia, you silly goose. The lyrics reminded me of you, for you have an incredibly brave heart."

I laughed and was about to answer him when my phone started to ring. I fished it out of my pocket and saw Leo's name flashing on the caller display.

"Hello?"

"Oh thank God. Lia, you and Optimus have to get back to base right now!"

"What? Why?"

"It's Lennox and Epps, they've been arrested!"


	2. Chapter 2

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 **TRIGGER WARNING:** Graphic rape scene.

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I slowly slid my phone back into my pocket. I slid off of Optimus' chest.

"Optimus, we need to get back to base, now." At once Optimus rose to his feet. I craned my neck to look at his face. Gone was the gentle teasing expression, replaced by his usual serious 'Prime' face. He knelt down and offered me his palm. I stepped quickly on and he placed me on his shoulder.

He made his way swiftly down the mountain slope and through the forest. In no time at all, we were back at base. Optimus walked towards the main hangar where all the meetings with government officials and the military took place.

Charlotte Mearing was waiting for us, standing on the catwalk and looking absolutely furious. Ratchet and Bumblebee were hovering around nervously, waiting for their leader's arrival. I heard running footsteps come in behind us. I turned around on Optimus' shoulder to see Leo bound in, his blue eyes worried and his forehead furrowed in concern.

I looked at him questioningly and he gave me the tiniest shake of his head.

Optimus made his way to Mearing.

"Director Mearing, how can I assist you?" She did a few laps of the catwalk before she answered him.

"Can you get my best Major out of federal custody? And don't answer me Prime, that was a rhetorical question."

Optimus shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Major William Lennox and Robert Epps have both been taken into federal custody. I'm sending two defence attorneys as we speak."

"On what charge?" Mearing hesitated, massaging her temples with two fingers of each hand.

"Treason. They conspired with a banished enemy. They were directly insubordinate, and that is a serious charge."

"But they helped save Chicago!" I exclaimed before I could stop myself. "They helped to save the planet." I said, more quietly this time. Mearing did not look impressed.

"You think I don't know that? You think, just because you're Prime's girl, you can speak without being spoken to?" I shrunk back from her disapproving tone. Optimus stepped forward and lowered his great visage into Mearing's field of vision.

"Director Mearing, I **do not** appreciate the tone you are using towards Cordelia. She is not military personnel, and is such not obligated to adhere to your authority. I would greatly appreciate it if you would apologise to her."

Leo and I stared at each other in dumbfounded amazement. I couldn't help my mouth from dropping open in a small 'o' of shock.

Mearing looked absolutely incensed. Nonetheless, she looked directly at me.

"Please, accept my apology Cordelia. It was unprofessional to let my stress affect my courtesy."

"That's…okay Director Mearing. Thank you."

"Thank you, Charlotte." Optimus inclined his head toward her. The colour in her cheeks deepened as Optimus addressed her by her Christian name.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments.

An awkward silence that was broken by Mearing's personal assistant tearing into the hangar, her Christian Louboutin heels clacking noisily on the floor, like horses' hooves.

"Director Mearing! Director Mearing!"

Mearing buried her face in her palm.

"For God's sake, what now?!"

Mearing's PA swallowed loudly before she answered.

"Harold Attinger has issued a warrant for Miss Prime's arrest. For treason, like Lennox and Epps."

Mearing was visibly shocked. "Don't you mean 'Major Lennox' Stacey?"

Stacey shook her head. "No ma'am. William Lennox has been stripped of all of his titles."

Mearing didn't even bother telling Stacey not to call her 'ma'am'.

When Optimus spoke, his voice was as hard as stone.

"Leo? Take Cordelia home."

.o

I looked at Optimus in surprise, raising my eyebrows at him. He gave the tiniest shake of his head before gathering me in his fingers and setting me down on the ground. Leo quickly descended the catwalk stairs and took my hand, pulling me towards the hangar exit. I pulled against him, not wanting to leave Optimus.

Why had he said the word 'home' when our quarters were only five hundred yards in the opposite direction from the hangar?

Odder still, Charlotte Mearing made no move to stop me when Leo towed me toward the doors and out onto the base.

"Optimus?" He turned to look down at me, his eyes gentle.

"I'll meet you there little one, after Ratchet has re-attached my arm." I nodded, and let Leo pull me out of view of Optimus and Mearing. Once we were out of their field of vision, Leo moved his hand to grip around my wrist. He broke into a brisk jog, me taking two strides for his every one.

"Leo, what's wrong?" His blue eyes were tilted upwards, his forehead creased in worry. He had the beginnings of a five o'clock shadow around his well-defined jaw.

"I have orders from Optimus to get you to a safe-house. We must move quickly Lia, if a warrant has truly been issued for your arrest, we don't have much time."

"Okay. Let's move then." He nodded at me and released his grip on my wrist. We arrived through the 'human' door in to mine and Optimus' quarters.

Our quarters were much like the other hangars that were scattered throughout the base, just a little more homely. It was a large rectangular building, made with corrugated walls, reinforced with metal beams. In the back left corner, there was a large berth where Optimus recharged and rested. On an extended catwalk next to Optimus' berth, was a sort of open-plan apartment. There was a small kitchenette, framed by rickety wooden work-tops and a wobbly breakfast bar with only one stool. Opposite the fridge there was an end table that seated two people, and it was where I ate most of my meals. Next to the kitchenette was my small bathroom, which Optimus had had installed as soon as we had moved into the new base after re-locating from Diego Garcia. It contained a bathtub which also doubled as a shower, one toilet and a sink.

I had a small sitting area, equipped with a worn couch and armchair, accompanied by a single bookcase. Behind the couch was a waist-high wooden railing, beyond which was my double bed. It was adorned with a Catherine Lansfield bed cover, which was interchangeable; on one side there were the noble heads of stags whilst on the other there was a simple blue tartan pattern. The duvet was thick and soft and brilliant to snuggle under.

Leo broke me out of my daydreams as he tossed a duffle bag at me.

"Lia, pack everything you need. We must move swiftly." I said nothing but went straight to my wardrobe and started ripping my clothes from their hangers. I did not have much, a few pairs of jeans and jumpers, some tank tops and t-shirts. My few belongings all fit very easily into the duffle bag. As I passed my bedside table, I took in my hands the framed photo of Optimus and I that had been taken shortly after the battle at the pyramids of Giza.

The sun was kissing the tips of all three pyramids, the Sphinx sitting nobly in the foreground. I was sitting on Optimus' shoulder, grinning widely whilst Optimus pulled a silly face at the camera. I held it close to my chest before sliding it in amongst my clothes to protect it from being banged about in the bag.

I hoisted the bag over my shoulder and looked at Leo, who was retrieving his own bag from the cupboard underneath the sink. In his hand, he held a set of car keys. "Come on darling, let's go."

"What about Optimus?"

"He knows where we're going. This was all his idea."

"What?"

"There's no time to explain Lia, we need to be on our way. Optimus will meet us there once he is able to transform again. You'll see him in a few days at most."

We rushed down the stairs and out through the back door. Parked inconspicuously behind the wheelie trash bins was a tiny blue Mini Cooper with white racing stripes along the bonnet and down the boot. Leo walked to the passenger's side and unlocked the door, holding it open for me. I was just about to get in when he spoke.

"Damn! I nearly forgot. Lia, I need your phone. They'll be able to trace us if you take it with you." Hesitating, I pulled my phone out of my jeans pocket and handed it to him. He turned it over once in his hands before throwing it far in a graceful arc. It landed with a soft 'thud' in a small tuft of grass. I folded myself into the low car and tossed my duffle bag onto the back seat. Leo shut the door behind me and hurried to the driver's side, also tossing his bag onto the seat behind us. He waited until I was strapped in before his did up his own seatbelt and started the engine.

"If a warrant has been issued for my arrest, how will we get off the base?" Leo clenched his teeth.

"Hopefully the soldiers on guard duty won't have been informed yet. Regardless of that fact, Bumblebee is going to cause a distraction out front. He said it should work, but in the event that it does not, we will revert to plan B."

"What's plan B?" Leo looked at me, slightly amused.

"We say that I am your arresting officer, due to my knowledge about the Autobots and that I am taking you to the station." I laughed.

"Well, who knew that you being a police officer would actually come in useful one day?" I teased him lightly, and he stuck his tongue out at me in response.

He eased the car into gear and drove around the back of mine and Optimus' quarters and towards the base's exit.

"We'll get onto the freeway at Tacoma. From there it is an eleven and a half-hour drive." I felt my mouth drop open.

" _Where_ on earth are we going?"

"West Yellowstone in Montana." His tone was slightly clipped, and as we approached the check-point entry/exit of the base, I remained silent. The check point was deserted, and I thanked my rarely lucky stars that Bumblebee's distraction plan seemed to have worked. The soldiers on the base all usually stood to attention and saluted me when they saw me. I didn't think I had earned the right to be saluted to, as I was not in the military, but all the soldiers insisted on saluting whenever they saw me, because I was, in Mearing's words; 'Prime's Girl'.

We passed through the checkpoint with no trouble at all and accelerated off of the gravel path and onto a smooth road. Soon we were in the centre of town, and when we stopped at traffic lights, Leo drummed his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel.

Finally, the lights changed, and the traffic began to flow freely once more.

"Where's your usual car?" I wondered aloud, confused as to why we were not in his blue Ranger.

"At home. When they realise we've done a runner, they'll be looking for that as opposed to an unknown car that they won't expect us to use."

"But we'll be on the CCTV coming out of the base; they'll have the registration plate and everything." He smiled ruefully.

"Sideswipe has arranged for a convenient closed circuit television system failure. There will be no record of us ever leaving the base."

I sat back in my seat and rested my head against the window. I had grown spoiled by travelling with Optimus all the time. His amazingly comfy seats moulded to perfectly fit the contours of my body, and I was convinced that no one had ever travelled in greater comfort than I had when riding with Optimus.

Leo, as intuitive as ever, seemed to notice this.

"Sorry, I know that this car isn't as comfortable as Optimus. He would have taken you himself obviously, but without his arm, he can't transform."

"I know. Leo, something like this doesn't just happen overnight. How long has this 'plan' been in motion?" Leo hesitated.

"Since Optimus and Ratchet returned from the moon with Sentinel in tow. Optimus sensed that the relationship between the government and the Autobots was becoming strained, so he made the appropriate arrangements. He asked me to go to Montana and look around for any large properties for sale. I found one; a ranch in West Yellowstone. I think you'll love it; it's an old cattle ranch. There is a small lake right in the middle of the settlement and there are woods and mountains as far as the eye can see. It is literally in the middle of nowhere and secluded enough for Optimus to walk around without having to use either of his holoforms. It has a modest acreage, 20 acres, so there's lots of opportunity for you and Optimus to go on your hikes."

I nodded and hugged my knees to my chest, burying my chin into them. The Mini's dashboard was pretty much bare, save for the fuel monitor and speedometer. In the centre of the dashboard there were two knobs that could be twisted. In between them was a bar with numbers on it. A radio dial!

I reached forward and fiddled with both of the dials, but the only sound that came from the car's speakers was the hissing sound of static. I leant back into my seat with a huff.

Leo chuckled and shifted into an awkward position in his seat. The car juddered a little as he pressed down on the gas pedal. He dug something out of his pocket and handed it to me.

I turned it over into my hands and found that it was a phone. One of the 'slidey' phones that I remembered from my youth. It was silver in colour and felt comfortable in my hands. I turned it on and grinned at the wallpaper – Optimus pulling a silly face and crossing his optics.

"Is this safe to use?" I asked.

"Yes. It has a sim card in it that under-cover police officers use. Ava owed me a favour."

"Cool, so I can text Optimus on it?"

"Yes. Maybe give him a few hours – we haven't been on the road for long."

"Okay. So where did you get this car?"

"I got it a few weeks ago, it was ridiculously cheap and the previous owner wanted to get rid of it quickly."

"Can it manage a twelve-hour drive over a seven-hundred and fifty odd mile journey?"

Leo laughed. "Have more faith in this little car Lia. They're iconic! But in answer to your question, I think this little car can indeed manage the journey. It doesn't have a heater though so I've put a blanket on the back seat."

I snuggled down and dipped my chin into the warm folds of my roll-neck jumper. Leo accelerated as we pulled onto the entry ramp of the freeway.

I much preferred driving on the switchback mountain roads with Optimus over the boring freeway. In comparison, the freeway was dull and all the same. At lease with the country roads I could sit back and admire the forests on either side of the road, the grey sea in the distance. Optimus preferred a more challenging drive too. He said he liked to go up and down the gear box, it kept his concentration up and kept his mind from going idle.

I leant my head against the window as the soft 'pat-pat' of raindrops began to sound on the roof of the car. I watched the raindrops race one another down the window, playing the game that I had played as a child, rooting for one particular raindrop to win and then feeling a little disappointed when it didn't.

I watched the cars passing us, wondering about the lives of the drivers. The tired looking blonde mother who kept looking in her rear-view mirror at her mischievous toddler, who was smearing the fluids from her nose onto the back window. Was she a single mother, or did she have a devoted husband at home, waiting for her with dinner already on the table?

I remembered seeing little girls with their dads and being so envious, wishing that _my_ dad would show me as much tenderness and love as the fathers of my friends showed their daughters. I shook my head in an attempt to keep the memories at bay.

My eyelids started to get heavier and soon began to droop. Leo noticed.

"If you're tired, don't fight it Lia. We've got a long drive until we get to the motel."

"Motel?"

"I think this car _can_ do a twelve-hour drive, but I think it needs to be broken up. I don't want the engine to overheat."

I nodded in agreement and reached around to the back to retrieve the blanket. I unfolded it, placing it over my lap and bringing it up around my neck and shoulders. It did a good job of warming me up quickly and keeping the cold bite of the car's interior from bothering me too much.

Soon, my eyelids lost the battle of trying to stay open, and I drifted off into the world of waking dreams.

.o

 _I slipped in through the front door quietly. I'd seen my father's car parked outside the apartment complex, and was praying that he was asleep and wouldn't hear as I gently let myself in to the flat. The same usual stench of cigarette smoke greeted me. The walls were stained from all the tobacco, and the whole flat stank like a giant ash tray._

 _I heard the couch creek under dad's weight in the living room. I tiptoed past the lounge door and slid quietly into my room. I eased the door shut behind me, the locking mechanism clicking shut._

 _I put my rucksack on the bed before sitting on it and pulling my shoes off. I replaced my shoes with a pair of thick woollen socks that were supposed to be worn with walking boots, so as to cushion your feet, but I found that they were the perfect pair of slippers. I wriggled out of my school uniform and changed into a tank top, hoodie and a pair of sweat pants. I scraped my auburn hair back into a ponytail and then opened my rucksack to retrieve my homework._

 _That day's homework was for Religious Education._

' _Is abortion right or wrong? Form an opinion and give reasons for your answer.'_

 _I rolled my eyes at the question. What kind of homework was this for twelve and thirteen-year-old kids? I sighed and reached under the bed for my 'desk'. It wasn't really a desk, but one of those trays with foldable legs so you can eat your food in bed._

 _My room was so tiny that the only pieces of furniture that could fit in it were my bed and a very slim wardrobe. Dad's room had the walk-in closet, and_ _ **that**_ _space was reserved for all of his alcohol. I set the tray up on the bed, got out my exercise book and began to write._

 _I hadn't written much when I heard dad get up from the couch and wander down the hallway. I instinctively sat still, not making a sound, hoping against hope that he wouldn't realise I was home._

 _I was still tender from last night, and during PE the teacher had asked me why I had blood on my knickers. I had to give her some shitty story about suddenly coming onto my period, which she knew was a lie. I hadn't even had my first period yet._

 _Would dad stop when I did eventually get it?_

" _Cordelia?" Dad's voice didn't sound slurred. "Where are you?" I didn't dare to breathe._

 _My heart almost stopped as I saw the door knob turning. It opened to reveal my father, and as our eyes met, a wide smile broke onto his face. "There ya are! Why didn't you answer sweetie?"_

 _I desperately grappled for something to say._

" _Sorry dad, I didn't hear you. Y'know, homework and all that. I'm in the zone." He chuckled and then frowned._

 _Reaching over, he took the bobble holding my ponytail in place, letting my hair fall once more around my shoulders. He ran his fingers through it, before moving his hand to my cheek and stroking it gently._

" _You know I like your hair when it's down Cordelia. Don't be lookin' like a harlot with it all up like that. It exposes your neck and I don't want anyone else seeing you. You're_ _ **my**_ _girl."_

 _I edged away from him, unable to be in such close proximity to him. He was sitting so close that I could smell the stench of stale cigarettes on his breath. His slick brown hair was greasy and looked like it had been glued onto his head. His beard was untidy and he was sorely in need of a shave._

 _His hand moved down to trace my collarbone. He leaned into the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply. "Aww you smell so good. How do you smell so good? Leave your homework Cordelia…let's have some fun."_

 _I felt my heart rate start to speed up. "I can't dad, not right now. This homework I have to do is a thousand words and its due tomorrow. I can't have another detention dad, I'm already on my last warning."_

" _You're no fun, COR-DE-LIA!" The way he said my name was sarcastic and mocking, but I let it wash over me like the ocean washes over the beach. He rose to his feet and went towards the door. Before he left, he turned and whispered, "you have one hour."_

 _Dread started to knot in my stomach. I swallowed back the bile and bit back tears. I wiped at my eyes furiously and returned my attention to my homework._

 _Fifty-six minutes later, I put my book back in my rucksack and stowed the tray under the bed once more._

 _I caught a glimpse of myself in the small circular mirror on my wall as I passed it to exit my room. The girl who looked back at me was a stranger. Her green eyes were dull, almost lifeless compared to the bright, enthusiastic eyes that they had been just a year ago. Her skin was paler, making the freckled littered across her nose and cheeks even more obvious than usual. Her hair, once thick and glossy, was now limp and lifeless._

 _I exited my room and let myself into the dingy bathroom. It stank of damp, evidenced by the plaster peeling off of all four walls. I dampened a flannel and washed my nether regions gently, not wanting to make the pain that I already had down there any worse._

 _I lingered in the bathroom until I heard dad approach my room._

" _Damnit Cordelia, where are you now? Come on, I only have half an hour before I need to go to work!"_

 _The bathroom door trembled in its frame as dad pounded against it with his fist. "Come on, get out here!"_

 _I hesitated and opened the door. He already had the foil wrapper clenched tightly in his hand. He took me roughly by the wrist and dragged me to his room. He pushed me down onto the bed, simultaneously pulling my trousers down._

 _I heard the terrifying sound of his zipper undoing, and I looked away. His hand snaked down to grab my chin, and he pulled my face back so that I was looking at him again. "You look away from me again, and I'll take you from behind. Do you understand?" I nodded._

 _Satisfied, he pulled down his boxer shorts. He was ready, and slid the condom on with a practised hand before pushing himself roughly into me. My hands automatically went to grab the sheets for grip. He thrusted back and forward, all the while grunting. I held back a cry of pain as he tore open what he had torn last night. His left hand moved to hold me down by my shoulder whilst his right fisted tightly in my hair._

 _His face was scrunched up in perverse pleasure, his eyes rolled back into his head. I let my mind go completely blank, a coping mechanism for escaping my situation. I thought of random patterns and shapes, letting them fill my mind's eye until they were all I could see. I closed my eyes in a momentary dissociation and regretted it immediately._

" _You fucking bitch! I wasn't finished!"_

 _Suddenly the ceiling disappeared from view as I was spun around to lay on my tummy._

" _No, please, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"_

 _He—_

.o

I woke up to arms holding me. My first instinct was to fight them off.

"Easy Lia, easy! I'm here, shh, it's okay. You're okay."

Leo's voice was soothing water against the fire in my mind. My whole body was drenched in sweat, my hair damp and sticking to my forehead. I sucked in deep breaths, trying to bring myself back under control. His hands were on my face, gently pushing my hair out of my eyes and stroking my cheeks softly. Control slowly returned to me, and the black spots that always plagued my vision after awakening from a nightmare gradually retreated. My hands grabbed blindly for his, and he immediately took them in his grasp. His own hands dwarfed mine, and at that moment it was too much. It reminded me too much of _him._ I pushed him away.

He got the message immediately and brought his hands to rest on the steering wheel. He reached down into the pocket of the driver's door and handed me a bottle of water with the cap already off.

I took it from him and glugged half the bottle down before setting it between my legs. My hands were still shaking, but my breathing was back under control.

"I'm sorry. Your hands, I was still there…I—" Leo interrupted.

"Shh, you don't have to explain. It's okay. I understand." Leo said kindly. I gave him a half smile and screwed the cap back onto the bottle top.

I belatedly realised that it was dark and that we were no longer driving.

"Where are we?"

"We're in Idaho. In the car park of 'Trail's End Motel'." I raised a brow.

"That sounds…ominous." Leo chuckled.

"It's the first one in a hundred miles that had vacancies. I would drive on, but the light has come on to warn me that the engine is in danger of over-heating."

I patted the dashboard. I envisioned Bumblebee wrinkling his nose (if he had one) at the little car.

"She's done well so far!" I said. "How old is she anyway?"

"Hmm. I don't know – the guy I bought her from wanted rid of her. No apparent reason why, he just wanted a quick sale." He reached around into the back for his bag. He pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and studied it for a few seconds before whistling. "Take a look at this, 'date of registration: 1959'."

"Woah! That means that this car is even older than you!" I teased. Leo stuck his tongue out at me and shoved the piece of paper into his back pocket.

"Right then, let's go and get ourselves a room for the night."

I opened the door and stepped out of the car, my legs protesting at standing up after sitting down all day. I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder and followed Leo into the reception area of the motel.

The guy behind the counter was chewing on a piece of tobacco and had a pirate's eye patch over his right eye. He was more or less bald, the little hair he had was thin and receding. He had the most amazing grey beard, braided into two plaits that hung proudly from his chin. The clothes he was wearing screamed 'biker' and when he moved to the desk, he jingled. I offered him an awkward smile.

"What can I do ya for?" He spoke with a heavy Southern twang, and his accent made me smile. I loved the Southern drawl.

"One room with two single beds please. For one night."

Patchy pushed the sign-in book towards Leo.

"Name, address and a valid credit card please sir." He sounded bored, he'd probably been saying the same thing all day long. I looked at Leo, slightly panicked.

What was he going to say our names were?

He took the pen, completely nonplussed. I leaned over his shoulder and watched him write 'Amber Gaziano' and 'Alistair Gaziano.'

"My daughter and I are driving to the Grand Canyon. Then we're going on to Niagara Falls." I said nothing.

Patchy raised a brow.

"In that?" He said, nodding to the mini outside. Leo smiled, a little smugly.

"Yes sir. I like the old cars."

Patchy shook his head in disbelief. "You don't sound like y'all are from around here."

Leo did not falter.

"No, we aren't. We're from the United Kingdom – here on holiday."

"Well now, would ya fancy that? Welcome to 'Merica Mr…" he paused and glanced at the book. "Mr Gaziano." He reached over the counter and shook Leo's hand.

My heart started to beat again.

Patchy reached over behind him to the key rack and dropped a silver key into Leo's outstretched palm.

"Y'all are in room 26. Watch the door, it's sticky and ya have to use some elbow grease ta open it. Breakfast is from 6AM till 10AM. To find your room, come out of here, turn left and then go up one flight of stairs. You'll find it easy enough. Night!"

Leo waved to Patchy as we exited the reception area. We quickly found the stairs and went up them. Room number 26 was the third door down and Leo put the key in the lock and wrestled the door open.

It was like any other motel room, adorned with simple furnishings and decorated plainly. This room had blinds instead of curtains, and I immediately went over to close them. Leo shut the door behind him and stretched.

"Which bed do you want Lia?" I automatically went for the bed on the left side. "Heh, I don't even know why I asked." He said, shaking his head. I grinned and plopped down on the bed. The mattress was soft, and the bedclothes didn't smell. Bonus!

Leo dumped his bag on the other bed and flopped into a chair that was partnered with a cheap writing desk.

"How long did you drive for?" I asked, taking my shoes off.

"Seven hours today. That was a monster nap you had."

"I know…you know what I'm like when I'm stressed though, I sleep…a lot." He nodded and got out his phone.

"I'm hungry, do you fancy pizza?" My stomach rumbled in answer to his question. He grinned and dialled the number from the pizza menu pinned to the notice board.

.o

One large pizza and a shower later, I clambered into bed. My limbs all felt heavy and tired, and I was proudly carrying my very own food baby.

Leo emerged from the bathroom and turned the light off in there, pitching the room into complete darkness. I listened as he fumbled and felt his way over to the bed.

"Shit!" I smiled to myself.

"What have you done?"

"I stubbed my bloody toe!" I snorted, unable to help myself.

"Goodnight Leo." He came over and brushed his lips on my cheek.

"Goodnight Cordelia.


	3. Chapter 3

.

.

 **TRIGGER WARNING:** Graphic rape scene, detailed self harm scene and a very, VERY in depth depiction of an abortion. I will post the trigger warning before that scene so that you can skip it if you wish to.

.

.

The sunlight was gentle when I woke. I turned onto my side and looked at Leo, who was sprawled out on the bed, his arms crossed together under the pillow. His dark curly hair was ruffled from the night's sleep.

I reached over to the bedside table and retrieved my phone, sliding it up to reveal a new text message from Optimus.

 **Good morning little one. I hope you and Leo had a pleasant journey yesterday. I will be with you by nightfall. OP x**

I smiled to myself at his little kiss. Optimus Prime, warrior extraordinaire from deep space and leader of a faction of giant sentient robotic organisms, left kisses at the end of his text messages.

I typed out a quick reply.

 **Leo and I stopped over at a motel for the night. We didn't think the car could make it all the way in one day. Can't wait to see you later.** **C x**

I watched the little cartoon message put itself in the cartoon envelope and throw itself into a little mailbox. Sweet.

I put my phone back onto the bedside table and slipped quietly out of bed. I padded into the bathroom, shutting the door softly behind me.

I turned the tap on and dipped my face under the fresh running water, washing the last of the sleep out from under my eyes. The water was refreshing and woke me up fully. I stopped the water and leaned against the sink, examining my reflection in the motel's gritty mirror.

My hair could get away with one more day before it would have to be washed. I combed it roughly through with my fingers before gathering it into a messy bun and securing it into place with a h airband. It looked more like a bird's nest than a messy bun, but I was just wanted it off of my face for the day ahead. I leaned over into the shower and pressed the button that would turn it on, but nothing happened.

I rolled my eyes and reached for the toothbrush in its plastic packaging. The motel's toothpaste tasted cheap and off, and I swirled and spat with water in an attempt to get rid of the taste. After washing myself, I crept back into the bedroom to retrieve my duffle bag.

I pulled on yesterday's skinny jeans and my favourite dress-style top, a blue, black and grey striped garment. I traded the tan ankle boots for my favourite pair of blue high-top Converse trainers, which had been a gift from Optimus last Christmas. I stuffed the dirty laundry into a separate pocket of the bag so that it wouldn't get muddled up with my clean clothes.

Leo stirred and stretched before sitting up. His hair was adorably rumbled, and his eyes squinted against the sunlight filtering in through the blinds.

"Morning. What time is it?"

"Just after eight. I'm guessing you want to make a move as soon as possible?" He nodded and rubbed his hands up and down his face.

"Yes, that would be a good idea. Let me get dressed and then we'll get breakfast. Have you heard from Optimus?"

"Yes, he sent me a text. He said he should be with us by nightfall."

"Alright. I won't be long then." He picked up his rucksack and disappeared into the bathroom.

I lowered myself into the chair accompanying the desk and folded my hands on top of my belly. The chair was a swivelling one, and I enjoyed a few childish moments of wild spinning, a big grin making its way onto my face. When I stopped, the room continued to spin and I took enjoyment in the dizzy feeling that was pounding my brain.

I rose from the chair and made my way over to the bed I had slept in last night. I smoothed it over, not wanting the maid who would later come to service the room to have to do more than necessary. I sat down on the bed and took in the décor of the room. The morning light provided better visibility than last night. The walls were a faded cream colour, with scratches on them from where the furniture had been moved about in the room. There was a painting on the wall, showing a small cabin on the edge of a lake surrounded by mountains – the sort of banal picture that was found in every motel room up and down the country. The bed heads were lined with a faux brown leather and accompanied by plain cream bed sheets, the same colour as the bland walls. The blinds were white, but had spots of dirt accumulating on the bottom, no doubt from the years that they had hung there, undisturbed.

I got my phone out and started to play snake.

.o

Twenty minutes later, Leo emerged from the bathroom smelling strongly of Sure body spray for men.

"Bloody shower's not working. I'll ask that guy at the reception desk to knock a bit off of the bill when we check out."

I hid behind my hands. "What? I know you don't like to make a fuss, but it isn't right if the shower isn't working."

"It isn't that." I said, still hiding behind my hands. "I forgot to tell you that the shower wasn't working when I came out. It completely slipped my mind." Leo laughed and ruffled my hair playfully.

"That's okay Lia, no worries. We should get down to breakfast." I nodded the affirmative and got up off of the bed. I hoisted the duffle bag once more onto my shoulder and stuffed my phone into the back pocket of my jeans.

Leo did the same and then held the door open for me. I walked through it onto the motel's balcony and waited for him at the top of the stairs. He locked the door behind him and we made our way to the restaurant area.

'Restaurant' was a bit of a strong word for the motel's dining area. The breakfast area consisted of a table filled with bacon, eggs and toast. There was a coffee machine and juice machine on an end table next to the seating area, which was comprised of two plastic diner-style tables and four chairs, all of which were different.

Leo and I exchanged amused glances as we both grabbed a plate each. Leo filled his with two slices of toast, three rashers of bacon and one fried egg. I avoided the bacon and just went for one slice of toast and a fried egg. Leo held up a cup to me, offering me a cup of coffee. I wrinkled my nose at him. He laughed and poured himself a straight, black coffee. Yuck. I opted for the orange juice and then joined him at the table nearest the door.

"Did you sleep well last night?" he asked, dipping his knife into the plastic butter pot. I nodded.

"Mhm. You?"

"Yes I did actually. The bed was comfier than I thought it was going to be. Did you have any…dreams?" I shook my head.

"Thankfully no. I slept surprisingly well, considering I was zonked out for so long in the car."

"Yes, that's what I thought." He took a sip of his coffee. "How do you feel about driving today?"

I dropped my slice of toast back onto the plate in surprise. "Me? Drive?" he smiled kindly at me.

"Mmhmm. I taught you didn't I? I know you can drive well Cordelia."

I shrugged. "Okay then. It will give me something to think about." Leo eyed me knowingly.

"You know Lia, you're like a cat on a hot tin roof when you're away from Optimus. He really would do anything for you."

I swallowed a piece of egg on toast. "I know, and I would do anything for him. I dunno…it feels like we're two halves of the same whole. I've never been able to trust anyone so fully before." Leo snorted. "Apart from you of course." I said with a wink. "But we both know why I couldn't rely on you too fully Leo…they would have taken me away in an instant."

He leaned forwards onto his elbows and sighed. "I know, I know. I wouldn't have it any other way…now."

I chose not to respond to that last bit. When Leo and Optimus had first met, they hadn't exactly…gelled.

Not long after I had met him, Optimus had explained to me that the most basic and inherent duty of a Prime is to protect. The Primes' motto; 'Freedom is the right of all sentient beings' was not one to be taken lightly. Optimus took this responsibility _very_ seriously, and sometimes, it had put him in great danger. It was not only the peoples' freedom that he felt duty bound to protect, he felt that it was his duty to protect all those who served both alongside and under him.

Optimus and I had bonded very quickly after we had met. He had earned my trust in less time that anybody had ever known, even Leo. He had taken my broken soul and with the utmost tenderness, put it back together. Loving Optimus had become second nature to me. It was as easy as breathing, and I would not change it for the world.

When Leo had first met Optimus, he had tried to get me to go back with him. Optimus had _not_ reacted well to that at all. It had taken much persuading for both of them to even have a rational conversation. Now they were good friends, and one would never know that their friendship had started in animosity.

"Lia?" Leo's voice broke the image in my mind.

"Hmm?" I shook my head, pushing the unbidden memory back into the recesses of my mind.

"Day-dreaming again?"

"Oops, caught me!" As I spoke, I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks and I looked down in an attempt to hide it. Leo just smiled.

We ate the rest of our breakfast in a companionable silence. I washed the last bits of egg and toast down with some orange juice before setting all my cutlery onto the plate I had used. I knew from years and years of cleaning up after my father that it was extremely helpful if someone stacked the cutlery onto the plate. It meant less trips to the kitchen.

Leo downed the last of his coffee. "You ready to make a move?" I nodded and we both got up from the table.

We made our way back towards the main reception area, where Patchy was sitting in the exact same spot where we had left him last night.

"Did y'all sleep well?" His numerous chains jingled as he leaned forward on the counter.

"Yes thanks. How much do we owe you?"

"Hmm, let's see…two adults…one room and two breakfasts…that's seventy-two dollars please." Leo handed over his credit card – a black Amex.

I tried not to let my surprise show.

A tense thirty seconds passed as we waited for the payment to go through. Then the little 'beep' sounded to signal a successful payment, and I let out the breath that I didn't realise I had been holding. Patchy handed the card back to Leo, and he slid it back into his black wallet. Patchy held out his hand to Leo. "Y'all have a nice vacation now, drive safe." Leo accepted the offer of a handshake.

"Thanks very much, we'll send you a postcard."

"Well, so long friends! Happy trails!" I offered him another one of my awkward smiles before we left.

Leo tossed me the keys, and they sailed straight through my open hands and into a puddle at my feet. I looked at him sheepishly. He buried his face in his palm and shook his head.

"Oh Cordelia. What on Earth am I going to do with you?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "You know I have crap hand-eye co-ordination Leo." I said, bending to retrieve the car keys from the puddle. I wiped them dry on my jeans and then unlocked the car.

The windows had all fogged up and we had to wipe them down before we could get going. Once the windows were clear, I turned on the engine and adjusted the seat to accommodate my shorter legs. Leo chortled.

"It's so sweet that you have to sit so close to the steering wheel."

"Well, we can't all be six foot three now, can we?" I said sarcastically. He gently pocked me in the ribs as I put the car into reverse.

I turned around in my seat, placing my arm on the back of Leo's chair for a better looking angle. I eased the car out of the bay and then straightened up. I stepped on the break whilst I paused to put my seatbelt on, and then struggled to put it in first gear.

"Oh, you'll need to be quite firm with the clutch; it's a bit stiff."

"You don't say!" I said, rolling my eyes at him in pretend annoyance. He just laughed and then adjusted his own seat to allow for his longer legs. I felt the hairs on my arms rise as goosebumps began to form. "Jeez, its freezing – what is the temperature Leo?"

He took his phone from his pocket and gazed at it for a few seconds. "Four degrees Celsius. Fresh!" I shivered and pulled my sleeves down a little more, wishing that I had had the sense to put on an extra layer whilst we were still in the motel.

I pulled onto the main street and joined the flow of the early morning traffic. "So, where am I headed?"

"You want to head south-west on Fisher Creek road and then head onto the US-20 road. It's all highway from there on. You okay to do the last stretch?" I fixed him with a disapproving gaze, without taking my eyes off of the road.

"Seriously Leo? I think I can manage three hundred and nine miles." He held his hands up.

"Okay then. I forgot how grumpy you are in the morning," he said audaciously. _That_ made me grind my teeth together.

"I am not going to dignify that with a response."

"You just did – "

"Ah! Shush." He sat back in his seat, trying unsuccessfully not to smile.

"Yes ma'am." My mouth twitched and I gave in, allowing a small smile to make itself known on my face.

Leo and I were always teasing each other, but we both knew that it was never malicious. I loved Leo as deeply as I loved Optimus, although the love couldn't be more different. I thought of Leo as a father figure, the father I'd grown up yearning for. I felt extremely fortunate that he thought of me as a daughter. The love I had for Optimus…it was not a father-daughter love, nor was it romantic. It was a love so intense and a bond so strong, that I did not know how to define or comprehend it. I just _felt_ it.

Optimus and I just _got_ each other, and that was that.

I settled back into my seat as I merged with the highway traffic. The mini protested as the speedometer needle went up to the higher numbers. The engine started to groan as I hit sixty-six miles per hour. I made a face. As a rule, I didn't drive fast, but I wanted to be with Optimus as soon as was physically possible.

Leo seemed to read my mind.

"I had to keep it to about sixty-eight yesterday. Don't worry – you'll see Optimus tonight. I promise you that. I know he is just as anxious to return to you."

I smiled.

"I know, I just can't stand to be separated from him for any length of time, that's all."

Leo placed a comforting hand on my knee. For a split second, I froze and forgot the road and traffic around me. I instinctively lifted my foot a little off of the gas pedal as my right hand moved down to Leo's. "Not while I'm driving." I whispered, and Leo's hand shot away as if I had burned him.

"Shit, I'm sorry Lia. It didn't occur to me."

"It's okay, it's done now." I said, placing my hand on his to show him that everything was okay. I pressed back down on the gas pedal and the needle began to climb up the speedometer once more. Leo squeezed my hand once, and then folded his hands into his lap. I rested my hand back on the steering wheel, gripping it at quarter to three, just like he had shown me.

The highway was straight for as far as the eye could see, and that relaxed me. I leaned back into my seat and let out a big puff of air. Every few seconds I glanced in my rear-view mirror and both wing mirrors, checking that I had a big enough gap for the cars both in front of me and behind me.

Leo leaned his head against the window.

"I'm gonna have a little doze. Wake me if you need me." With that, his eyelids fluttered closed and his breathing slowed, evidenced by his chest moving more slowly up and down.

With only the monotonous surroundings and passing traffic as my company, my mind wandered into the past.

.o

My waking daydreams took me back to when I was fifteen years of age.

.o

 **TRIGGER WARNING FOR RAPE SCENE**

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I snuck into the flat, turning my key with the utmost care so that it didn't make a noise as it unlocked the door.

For once I had beaten dad home, and I hurried into my room to change out of my school uniform and into my 'sloppy' clothes. I pulled my hair back into a scruffy bun, ensuring that no hair rested upon the nape of my neck. It would dissuade dad from touching me, at least for a while.

I was pulling my jumper over my head when my bedroom door was slammed open with such force that it rocked in the hinges of the door frame. I froze in terror, the jumper over my breasts but not my belly or abdomen.

His eyes drifted down to my swollen stomach.

"What. Is. That?" He spoke through gritted teeth. A vein in his forehead became more and more prominent until I thought it would burst right through his skin.

The child within me squirmed and kicked, as if he or she could suddenly sense the tension in the room. My hands went to protectively cover the small bump. He barged into my room and shoved me up against the wall. His breath smelled of stale cigarettes, and his stubble was unkempt and scruffy looking.

My mind raced for a plausible excuse.

"I had a big lunch…" He grabbed my wrist in his hand, wrapping his fingers around it so that they overlapped.

"Do you take me for a fucking fool?!" He forced my other hand away from my abdomen. "It's as hard as fucking rock Cordelia! You fucking slut!" He threw me onto the bed roughly and grasped me underneath my chin. "How long?"

I shook my head, refusing to look him in the eye.

"HOW FUCKING LONG?!" I shook my head and glared at him defiantly. "Right then, you asked for it. I'll fuck you with my hand right now."

He pulled my elasticated trousers down and jammed his hand into my knickers. I felt his fingers probing at my entrance, dancing around the delicate folds of skin before he forced his way in. I gasped as pain shot through my nether regions and lower abdomen. He put another finger in, and the pain intensified. "Fucking hell, relax Godamnit!" I tried to close my legs but he forced them apart again with little effort and tried to push his fingers further in.

"Stop it! You'll hurt the baby!" My words only angered him further and made him push harder. He finally got all the way in and started scraping my insides. The pain turned to white-hot fire inside my mind, and my usual dissociation coping mechanism did nothing to help me escape from the situation. "Please!" I cried out, my voice thick with tears that had yet to fall. "Dad, stop it!"

He carried on as if I had not spoken, pulling his fingers slightly out before shoving them back in again, all the while scratching my insides to shreds. For ten minutes he continued in this vein, ignoring my cries and protestations.

Finally, he withdrew.

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 **END OF TRIGGER WARNING FOR RAPE SCENE**

"How long?"

I scooted away from him, pulling up my knickers and trousers. His index and middle fingers were red with blood, and I had the sensation of needing to pee so badly. "Sixteen weeks." My voice came out at barely above a whisper.

He nodded.

"You will get rid of it tomorrow. I'll take you myself." With that, he exited my room, slamming the door behind him.

I immediately went and sat against the door, pushing all of my weight against it. I took a few moments to regain my composure and get my breathing under control before I snuck into the bathroom.

I sat down on the toilet to relieve myself. My knickers were covered in spats of blood, and when I started to empty my bladder, it was like peeing on razor blades. I bit into my knuckles, attempting to redirect the pain.

 **TRIGGER WARNING FOR SELF HARM SCENE**

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Dad's razor sat on the sink next to the toilet. It was one of those old-fashioned ones, the kind that the barbers used to use. Without a second thought, I swiped it from the sink and drew the blade once down my left arm.

The trickle of blood that followed was oddly hypnotising. I repeated the action, but this time, deeper. A strange sense of numbing calmness came into my racing mind, soothing the storm that was raging its way through my psyche.

The pain gave me something else to concentrate on, and gradually I forgot the pain in my nether regions, the feel of my father's fingers inside of me and the bloody spots on my underwear. I even forgot the avocado sized life that was residing within me.

Greedy for more of the feeling, I turned my arm over and cut on the underside. The blood was beautifully hypnotic and at the same time, morbidly poetic. The blood was like red raindrops, thick, beautiful and fatal. They left behind them a deep red trail, painting the image of the storm onto my arm.

I don't know how long I sat on the toilet before the numbness started to wear off. My arm started to burn, but I was grateful for the distraction. The storm clouds in my mind retreated and I rose from the toilet, cleaning myself appropriately and then going to the cupboard under the sink.

I retrieved a roll of plain white bandage, a thick gauze and some medical tape. I ran my arm under hot water, smiling at the increased pain it brought. The blood was washed away instantly, but the cuts continued to weep. I dabbed the wounds lightly with my towel before placing the gauze over the cuts, ensuring it covered all of them. I wrapped the bandage around it, securing the gauze into place. I tore the medical tape with my teeth, and placed three long strips in the middle and at each end of the bandage.

Satisfied with my handiwork, I washed the razor and placed it back on the sink, exactly as it had been before. I gathered the towel in my arms and padded quietly out of the bathroom, leaving no evidence of my brief, but beautiful carnage.

I stuffed the towel into the washing machine and turned it on. I pulled the sleeve of my jumper down so that it would conceal the bandage. Dad was in the living room, smoking. I paused at the door, and felt bile rise in my throat as I looked at him.

I went into my room and tried to doze.

 **END OF TRIGGER WARNING FOR SELF HARM SCENE**

.o

Leo's hand on my shoulder snapped me out of the memory.

"How are you doing Lia?"

I blinked a few times. The highway traffic was moving nicely, and I was keeping a near constant speed of around eighty miles per hour.

"I'm good thanks. How are we doing for time?" Leo glanced down at his phone.

"We've got about two hours to go; you're making good time. Do you fancy stopping for lunch? There's a service station in eight miles."

As if on cue, my stomach emitted a thunderous rumble.

"Heh, good idea. The engine probably needs an opportunity to cool down as well." As I spoke, I glanced at the needle which would tell me if the engine was in danger of over-heating, and it seemed to be inching ever closer to the red 'danger bar'.

We said nothing as we got closer to the service station. I indicated that I was changing lanes, and moved over after looking in my mirrors to ensure that it was safe. I made my way onto the exit ramp and decelerated accordingly. The car juddered a little as the speed decreased, and I patted the steering wheel absent-mindedly. Leo raised a brow at me.

"What? She needs a little encouragement." He just shook his head and smiled at me ruefully.

"It's not an Autobot Lia."

"I _know_ that silly! But y'know…a little encouragement never goes amiss." He waved his hand at me and leaned back into his seat.

I pulled into a Shell petrol station, following the painted white arrows around to the back of the building. I chose the bay I wanted to park in and put the car into reverse. I eased it in, both sides of the car a perfect distance from the white lines of the parking bay.

Leo huffed in disbelief.

"What is it?" I asked, turning the engine off and slipping the key out of the ignition.

"I just don't understand how you can park better than me – when I taught you how to drive!" I threw back my head and laughed in spite of myself.

"Heh, that's because I was taught by the best!"

"Well, I don't like to boast, but…" he didn't finish his sentence and I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Bumblebee taught me how to bay-park! I'm sorry Leo – there's no better driving instructor than a living vehicle." He mock-sighed.

"I have to agree with you there. Perhaps I should take a few lessons from him…"

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving you a few lessons…for a price."

"A price? What could an Autobot possibly want?"

"Oh nothing much…just a full wash and a wax. Anyway – I'm starving and I need to pee."

Leo snorted. "Okay. I'll get the lunch then. Cheese and tomato sandwich?"

I grinned at him. "You know me too well." He poked me gently in the ribs and unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Meet you back here?" I nodded and got out of the car.

I made my way back towards the entrance of the little shop that accompanied the Shell garage and walked in. I approached the counter, manned by a bored looking teenager reading a manga comic. His greasy hair was tucked into a bun at the nape of his neck, and he wore a baseball cap adorned with the Shell logo. He kept fiddling with the piercing in his lip, twirling it this way and that. My own hand subconsciously went to play with the silver ring in the left side of my nose.

My mind went back to the day I had had it done.

.o

Bumblebee had taken me out shortly after we had returned from Egypt. We'd wondered around various shops, until we had stumbled across a tattoo and piercing shop.

"What is this place?" Bumblebee had asked, so innocently that he suddenly seemed so endearing.

"Hmm. Think of it as a body shop. You can have ink written into your skin and piercings to put accessories in."

Bumblebee had nodded thoughtfully and dragged me into the shop. The interior had been of the typical gothic décor, with minimalist style art hanging on the walls. The girl behind the counter had jet black hair that was styled into bunchies. She had an awesome streak of electric blue starting in her fringe and ending in the left bunchie. Her ears sported a number of earrings and studs, and her face had at least five different piercings in it.

She'd looked at us in an almost amused fashion, no doubt judging our virgin skin.

"What can I do for you guys?" she'd said, blowing and then popping a bubble of her gum.

Bumblebee slapped two twenties down on the counter.

"My friend would like a piercing please!"

The girl gave an amused smile. "Sure thing buddy," she said, pulling the dollar bills towards her and tucking them safely into the cash register.

I'd told her what I wanted, and within five minutes, it was done. When we'd got home that evening, Optimus was surprised to see my new feature, but said it suited me.

.o

"Ma'am? Can I help you?" The greasy haired teenager's voice interrupted the memory.

"Yes, sorry. Can I have the toilet key please?" He wordlessly handed over a key with a pink keyring attached to it, with 'women' scrawled onto it in black sharpie pen.

"Toilet's right behind you." He motioned with his head and resumed his reading.

I unlocked the door and let myself in. I sat down on the toilet and in no time, I was done and cleaning myself up. I washed my hands and made my way back to the cashier.

"Thanks a lot," I said, dropping the key onto the counter.

I exited the shop and walked back to the car to wait for Leo. Rather than get back in, I sat on the bonnet of the little Mini Cooper, stretching my legs out as long as they would go, which wasn't very long.

My mind started to wander once more, and I was my fifteen-year-old self again, going in the car with my father to the abortion clinic.

.o

 **TRIGGER WARNING FOR ABORTION SCENE**

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After he'd found out about my concealed pregnancy, dad had made an appointment with Planned Parenthood.

We sat in the car in silence, tears streaming down my face as I looked out of the back window. I'd refused to sit next to him, and had paid the price of a cut lip for my decision. My hands were cradling my little bump protectively, every cell in my body protesting at what was about to happen.

The baby inside me would be my brother or sister, but also my son or daughter. I tried to wrap that thought around my mind, but I couldn't comprehend it. It was the sort of thing one only read about in macabre books.

Dad hadn't said a word to me since last night, only to inform me that we were going to Planned Parenthood in the morning. My appointment was scheduled for ten o'clock in the morning. A glance at the clock in the dashboard told me it was 9:28. The baby inside me started to kick and squirm, brining fresh tears to my eyes.

All too soon, we pulled up into the clinic's carpark. Dad parked our beaten up Chevy truck illegally across a disabled space and got out, slamming the door behind him. He stormed around to my side of the truck and wrenched the door open. The vein in the middle of his forehead was still very noticeable, and I used it as a barometer of his mood. I slipped out of the truck without a word, all the while not meeting his penetrating gaze.

He took me by my wrist and dragged me through the revolving doors. The waiting area was small and dingy, full of patronising posters with phrases like 'It's Your Choice' and 'If you go past the mistletoe stage…THINK!'

The receptionist spoke without even looking up from filing her nails.

"Name." Her tone of voice was bored and monotonous. Did she not care about what kind of establishment she worked in?

Dad gave my name and shoved me into a pink plastic seat. Ironically, there was a play area, which comprised of an incomplete train set and a legless doll. Two children were sat in it, one boy and one girl. They were both playing with the train, taking it in turns to roll it along the wooden track and whisper 'choo choo'. They both had the same honey blonde hair, and they weren't far apart in age, but the little girl looked younger.

"Cordelia Winter?"

My head snapped up as my name was called. Dad pulled me to my feet and guided me toward the nurse who held a clipboard in the crook of her arm. I snatched my arm free from his grip.

The nurse smiled at me kindly and motioned for me to go into the room she had just come out of. Dad started to follow and I turned around so fast that he walked into me.

"Don't." That one word was all he needed to stay rooted to the spot.

The nurse didn't comment, and followed me into the examination room.

"Now sweetheart, can you put this gown on for me?" I accepted the garment she held out and went to change behind the screen.

I cupped the bump gently in my hands and started to cry softly. "I'm so sorry my little one. I'm so, _so_ sorry. I have failed you." My tears 'pat-patted' pathetically onto the floor and I wiped my face quickly.

The nurse popped her head around the screen, a needle in her hand. She put a comforting arm around me.

"It'll be okay Cordelia; we can make this all go away. I'm just going to give you a little shot of antibiotics – to prevent any infection that might occur as a result of the termination." I nodded and she inserted the needle into my upper arm. I didn't look as she pushed the medication in through the syringe. My arm felt cold and tingly for a few seconds, but other than that, I felt no discomfort whatsoever.

She moved to another door. "We'll go into the surgical room now." She took my hand gently and manoeuvred me through another door.

A doctor in a white coat was sitting at the computer making notes when we entered. He looked to be in his mid-twenties and had dirty blonde hair accompanied by chocolate brown eyes. He had a well-defined jaw and looked to be about six feet tall.

"Hello Miss Winter. I am Doctor Truman, and I will be performing the termination procedure today. Would you?" he gestured to a bed, attended by a pair of stirrups. "If you would place your legs in the stirrups please." I did as he asked, climbing onto the bed and lying on my back before resting my legs into the clinical white supports. He moved to sit by my open legs. "I am sorry Miss; I am going to have to ask you to take your underwear off."

With my cheeks flaming, I wriggled out of my knickers and bunched them in my left fist.

"If you could just roll over onto your side Miss Winter; I am going to inject you with a sedative. You will feel a sharp scratch." Taking my legs out of the stirrups, I rolled onto my left side. I gasped as something cold was inserted into the skin just below the back of my neck. It burned for a millisecond, and then was gone as quickly as it had started. "Good girl." Doctor Truman's voice was low and soothing, and I took comfort in that.

He rolled me gently over again so that I was once more laying on my back, and resumed his position at my open legs, placing them back in the stirrups. "I'm just going to give you a quick pelvic examination to assess the health of your uterus and the pregnancy. You may feel a slight tugging sensation."

It felt no different than when dad put his fingers inside me. I closed my eyes tightly and counted silently under my breath. "Would I be correct if I said that you were approximately in the sixteenth week of the pregnancy?" I nodded. "Okay. I am going to clean the cervix and vaginal area now; it is extremely important to rid the site of any harmful bacteria that could cause infection." He put what looked like an extremely long ear bud inside me and turned it a few times. "The procedure usually takes about thirty minutes. First I will dilate your cervix using a speculum and then I will evacuate the contents of the uterus using forceps and a curette. You will experience some mild discomfort in the form of a menstrual cramp pain. After the procedure has been completed, I will perform an ultrasound scan to confirm the successful termination of the pregnancy. Are you ready?"

I nodded and made no effort to stop my tears from falling. He inserted something cold and metal inside me, and the instrument spread me open. Something else was inserted and I felt a tugging sensation and a cramp worse than any period pain that I had ever experienced.

He scraped for twenty minutes, pausing to put the _pieces of my baby_ into a bright yellow medical waste bag.

At last, he withdrew the speculum. "I'll just do the ultrasound." I pulled up the gown to allow him access to my abdomen. The gel was cold as he squirted it onto my skin and began moving the scanner over my belly.

The sound of my baby's heartbeat was painfully absent.

"Termination successful."

Those two words knocked more wind out of me than the most intense exercise regime. He snapped off his gloves and washed his hands at the sink. "There is medication to reduce bleeding at the reception for you. I have already filled your prescription."

I couldn't find it within myself to say 'thank you'. He seemed to understand and wordlessly exited the room. The kindly nurse helped me to get changed back into my own clothes.

"You'll need to rest when you get home, no strenuous activity. You will likely experience a lot of heavy bleeding. You can only use pads; no tampons for four weeks." I heard what she was saying, but I didn't listen.

I got up and pain seared through every nerve ending that I had _down there._ I pushed the door open and walked past dad, past the receptionist and out of the clinic entirely.

I ignored the truck and turned left out of the car park.

I pounded the streets until it was dark, and a police cruiser pulled up beside me.

A middle-aged man lowered the window. He had striking blue eyes and dark brown hair that curled in every direction. His nose was hopelessly wonky and looked like it had been broken on more than one occasion. He had smile wrinkles and wrinkles in the corners of his eyes. All in all, he looked like a very kind man.

"You alright miss?" I was shocked to hear his British accent. I hadn't met another British person for years. Not in Tranquility, California anyway. He got out of the car and came down to my level. "Come on little one, I think you'd best come with me eh? Let's get you patched up."

I looked down to see blood seeping through my trousers.

And then I got in the car, with one of the men who saved my life.

 **END OF TRIGGER WARNING FOR ABORTION SCENE**

.o

I woke from my light doze to find Leo standing over me.

"I come bearing gifts!" I grinned at him and accepted the sandwich he held out for me.

In ten minutes, we had both finished and washed our lunch down with too much fizzy pop. I yawned.

"Leo, do you mind if you drive the rest of the way? I'm really tired all of a sudden." He stroked my cheek.

"Course not Lia. Let's roll out!" I cringed as he stole Optimus' signature line, but let it slide.

Folding myself into the car, I adjusted myself in the seat until I was in a comfortable position.

Leo hadn't even stared the engine when my eyelids started to droop.

This time, I slept dreamlessly.


	4. Chapter 4

I woke up being tossed around in my seat due to the bumpy and uneven road surface. I stretched lightly, and looked over at Leo who was hunched low over the steering wheel. The road was just a little bit wider than a single track road, and was lined by thick hedges on both sides. Instead of being a smooth tarmac surface, the road we were currently travelling on was a rough gravelly one.

For us in the Mini Cooper, it wasn't an issue, but I wondered whether or not Optimus' wide vehicle form would be able to fit on the road. I voiced my concerns to Leo.

"Will Optimus be able to fit on this road?"

"Yes. He will be able to, but he wouldn't be able to fit on it if he had his trailer. The ranch is ten miles out from the nearest town, and the whole idea of the ranch being in the middle of nowhere is to make it hard for the Decepticons to get there. There are covert energon detectors hidden throughout the property, so a Decepticon or even a fellow Autobot can't get within eight miles of this place without tripping the proximity sensor alarm. The time it takes for a 'Con or anybody else to get here will give Optimus time to get you to safety."

"Get me to safety? Argh. He worries too much."

"I'm glad that he is taking this seriously – you are too important to the both of us." He had a smug smile on his face and I knew that there would be no point in arguing with him. When it came to my safety, Leo would **always** side with Optimus.

I leaned back into my seat and looked out at the scenery. The area was surrounded by a cluster of beautiful mountains for as far as the eye could see. They were all capped with snow and were blanketed with thick pine forests.

We came to a fork in the road and Leo took the left road; the car's suspension protesting loudly against the bumpy surface of the road. After passing an enormous oak tree, the road's surface abruptly became much smoother. We had driven onto a brick-paved driveway.

The driveway snaked around into a horseshoe shape, revealing one of the most beautiful yet understated houses I had ever seen.

The house was in the typical ranch style, the outside comprised of horizontal wooden planks, which were deep brown in colour. The house sat on a raised foundation, and proudly boasted a wrap-around porch. To the left of the front door there was a large bay window in the traditional lattice criss-cross like style. To the right of the front door, there were two smaller old-fashioned sash style windows. There were two windows on the upper storey, one large one, again a bay window and the other a smaller rectangle shaped one.

There was a swinging bench on the porch, accompanied by two wooden end tables. Behind the house I could see two large outbuildings, and a typical American barn.

Leo stopped the car directly outside of the house. He handed me a key. "Welcome to your new home!"

I got out of the car, momentarily forgetting my duffle bag on the back seat.

I turned the key over in my hand, suddenly unable to utilise the power of speech. The house was taller than the average suburban house, but Optimus would still tower over it when he stood at his full height. The air was crisp, and I could see my breath unfurling in beautiful shapes as I exhaled.

The key I held was plain and non-descript, an ordinary silver key with 'Yale' inscribed onto both sides. Leo came to stand beside me, his bag on his right shoulder and mine on his left. He nodded towards the front door. "Are you gonna unlock it?"

I walked forward and put the key into the lock, and turned it to the left. The mechanisms slid out of their bolts and I opened the door, watching it swing slowly into the house.

The door opened to reveal a spacious hallway which boasted a solid wooden oak floor and a staircase to match. A large Native American rug adorned the floor, its warm brown and red colours complimenting the hallway nicely. There was a door to my left, directly parallel to the staircase. Leo dropped our bags by the front door and took my coat off and hung it on the hook by the door to the right of me. "Do you want to see this room? I think it is the dining room." He turned the handle and the door swung open with a loud creek.

Leo was right about this room being the dining room. It was a rectangular shape and had the same manner of décor that was in the large hallway. In the centre of the room there was a large oak dining table that sat six people. Three chairs sat on either side of the big table, each oak like the accompanying table. A Welsh dresser stood at the back of the room, holding numerous bottles of various alcohol and a few ornamental plates. The last of the day's light filtered through the window that was directly behind the table, providing a nice light that was not at all harsh. A few pictures were hung on the panelled walls, each of an Alpine scene; a small cabin nestled in the crook of the huge snow-capped mountains. The window offered a real-life view of this beautiful aesthetic.

I went back into the hallway, Leo following behind me. There was a door directly opposite the front door, and a quick peek around it revealed an office. It was a modest office, equipped with one desk and bookshelves that had been mounted to the wall. There was a small window in this room, reminiscent of the small slitted windows that heavily featured in medieval castles.

The door opposite the door to the dining room led into the living room. This room was bigger than the dining room and the office combined. Another Native American rug sat on the floor in front of a huge log fireplace. Next to the fireplace was a metal log holder, which housed about eight logs. The mantelpiece above the fireplace was solid oak and rustic. It had a few rough features, but I felt that this added to the charm of the room. A large flat screen television sat above the fireplace, attached to the wall.

The bay window was complimented by an alcove style window seat, furnished with plush brown and dark red cushions. Behind me was a leather three-seater couch. The arms and base of the couch were framed with small gold studs, and they glinted brightly in the light of the dying sun. The couch's cushions were fabric and had been embroidered with Native American patterns and a line of stitched moose. A matching armchair stood in the corner of the room.

Leo pulled me gently through to the kitchen, which was accessed via a rectangular archway. The kitchen was a well-defined 'L' shape, with a small end table that seated two at the base of the 'L'. Worktops lined one side of the kitchen, boasting bleached brown cupboards and a dark wooden top. A dishwasher was situated subtly in the corner next to the huge white sink. Pots and pans hung over the hob, giving the room an overall homely feel.

Leo smiled at me. "Do you like it?" I nodded, unable to speak. I followed him as he left the lounge and started to ascend the stairs. I got to what I thought was the top of the stairs, and then saw that there was about a metre of carpet before they snaked around to the right. I climbed up the last few steps, and emerged onto the landing. The landing was in the same layout as the hall below; there was a door to the left and to the right and one directly in front of me. Leo spoke up again. "The door straight in front of you is the bathroom, the door to the left is the master bedroom and the last door is the guest bedroom. Do you want to have a look at the master bedroom?"

"Mhm." I said, pushing the door open. The master bedroom was HUGE. It was the size of the lounge and kitchen combined, just without the characteristic 'L' shape. Like the rooms downstairs, the walls were covered in wooden panelling and the floor was wooden oak, though a little darker in colour than the other rooms in the house. A gigantic four poster bed was the dominant feature in the room. It was dressed in yet another Native American patterned bed cover; blue and beige being the main theme colours. The cover was littered in the Native American patterns, striped areas of blue and beige which held diamond shapes and dashed lines. Opposite the bed was another fire place, this time slightly smaller than the one downstairs. Above the fireplace hung a large rectangular mirror with a dark brown frame. There were French style doors to the right that led out to a surprisingly large balcony. I turned and gasped at the sight of another door. I opened it to find a small en-suite which consisted of a shower, toilet and a small sink.

"Leo…this house is beautiful…but how did Optimus pay for it?" Leo tapped his nose playfully.

"Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies." I hit his arm good-humouredly and sunk down onto the bed. The mattress was deliciously soft, and I resisted the temptation to lay back into the soft bed linen and fall asleep. Leo seemed to read my mind. "Have a nap Cordelia, I'll wake you when Optimus is nearly here. I've asked him to text me when he gets into town. I nodded, satisfied and waited for no further encouragement from him.

He received the thick Afghan blanket from the back of the wicker chair that sat in front of the French doors and gently draped it over me, ensuring I was fully covered.

I closed my eyes, safe in the knowledge than when I next opened them, I would see Optimus once more.

.o

I woke to something huge tapping gently on the balcony doors. I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Optimus!

I threw off the thick Afghan blanket that Leo had draped over me earlier and bolted towards the balcony doors, throwing them open in my excitement. Optimus grinned at me broadly and his large metal hand came up to meet me.

He scooped me easily into his palm and brought me up close to his chest. I listened greedily to the content humming of his Spark in its casing. I belatedly realised that he was holding me in his right hand.

"Your arm's back!" I explained, tapping the palm I was sitting on excitedly.

"How observant of you little one." He said, winking at me. I stuck my tongue out at him playfully. He raised me up to his face so that we were at eye level with each other. "Ratchet has fixed me up rather nicely." I ran my hand over the grooves in his nose absent-mindedly.

"What's going on back at base?" Optimus sighed and pinched his nose between a thumb and forefinger – a sure sign that he was stressed.

"Epps and Lennox have been formally charged with treason. They will begin their prison sentences next week." His facial expression was grim and bleak, his optics not their usual bright cerulean blue.

I swallowed loudly. "How long?" He looked down at me sadly.

"Thirty years. Each. In a high security penitentiary." I gasped.

"But Lennox's wife…his daughter…is there nothing that we can do?" Optimus shook his great head sadly.

"The conviction cannot be overturned or appealed against. Their sentence was decided by the US Secretary of Defence himself." My mouth went completely dry.

"Keller? But he was so decent…why would he do this to them?" Optimus surprised me by grinding his lip plates together.

"No, not Keller…but an old acquaintance. Theodore Galloway. That's why I had to get you away Lia; they **will not** take you from me. NEST has been disbanded…replaced by a new organisation calling themselves 'Cemetery Wind'. Their head of operations is a man by the name of Harold Attinger. I know next to nothing about him, and he is not in the government's database. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't concerned Cordelia."

I stood up in his hand and wrapped my arms around his face as best I could. "As long as we are together, that's all that matters Optimus." I felt his lips move into a small smile against me.

"Of course, you are right. I have instructed the other Autobots to flee and go into hiding for the time-being. We have done a similar thing in the past – when the Decepticons had the upper hand on Cybertron. It may mean not being in contact with each other for quite some time, but we Autobots are masters at hiding in plain sight. Ratchet has also fitted each and every one of us with a signal scrambler; capable of fooling the humans' 'recognition' technology of us. It allows us to change our 'digital fingerprint' so to speak. We are also fortunate that only you, myself and Leo know the location of this ranch. If it is necessary for the other Autobots to know in the future, I will of course tell them. Until then, this information is best known by as few people as is possible."

"Okay. I trust you Optimus. I have faith in you. Plus, I got your back!" I hip-bumped his nose, which caused him to raise one of his metallic eyebrows. I grinned at him sheepishly and then resumed a sitting position in his large palm. He shook his head and smiled, bringing his hand back to the balcony and gently sliding me off of it.

"I have a surprise for you. Meet me downstairs in the lounge." I made a 'huh?' face at him but he just proceeded to fold in on himself, and in a few seconds, the familiar shiny Peterbilt was parked innocently in the dusky twilight.

I hurried down the stairs and pushed open the heavy wooden door that would let me into the living room. Leo was there waiting for me, sitting in the armchair. A worn copy of Stephen King's _The Stand_ was in his lap, open at the last page that he had been reading.

"Nice nap?" I nodded.

"How come you didn't wake me when Optimus was near?"

"He wanted to wake you himself – he's just getting his surprise ready." No sooner had Leo finished speaking, the hairs on my arms and the back of my neck rose. The light handing from the ceiling flickered three times before regaining a solid light. There was a quiet electrical buzzing noise before everything fell silent again.

Something tapped me on the shoulder and I spun round, my fist clenched instinctively. A gentle metal hand caught my arm in mid-air, and the owner of the hand slowly uncurled my fist and brought my hand up to his face. My mouth opened into a huge 'o'. A human-sized Optimus was standing before me. Not his human holoform, but a real life, metallic Optimus Prime. He was exactly as he always was, just in human size. He was still huge, and still towered over me, but I could touch him without needing his help to do so.

I let my hands explore his body, going on tip-toe to feel both of his ear finials, working my way down his face and across his shoulders to his smoke stacks. Everything about him was smooth and hard, and screamed power. My hands found their way down his arms, and my fingers curled around the strong springs that acted as his 'biceps'. His tyres spun on his hips, a sign that he was happy and enjoying my touch.

His own hands moved to caress my face, his fingers tracing down my jaw line and down to my collarbone. His hands explored my shoulders and my arms before finally stopping at my hands. His touch, so tender and metallic, didn't bring back the hellish flashbacks of my father touching me. Optimus' touch was safe, and it felt like home.

I only managed one word. "How?"

Optimus smiled and drew small circles into the back of my hands with his index fingers.

"Ratchet altered my holoform software; I can now utilise a holoform of my true body, provided I do not stray too far away from my real self. Ratchet is working on a 'signal booster' so that the range of the holoform can be increased. You are so soft and warm Cordelia, come here."

His arms opened in invitation, and I fell into them.

It was like hugging him for the first time all over again.


	5. Chapter 5

After a filling meal and a fresh night's sleep, Optimus filled Leo and I in on what had happened since our departure from NEST's base in Washington.

We were sitting at the small table in the kitchen. Optimus looked incredibly out of place, and at the same time, so adorably appealing. He was leaning his full weight against the back of the chair, his arms tucked behind his head. His right ankle was resting on his left knee, and he was drumming his fingers on the back of his helm. His expression was serene, but I could see worry brewing behind his kind blue optics.

"Have you heard anything about Lennox and Epps?" I asked, leaning forward in my chair and placing my elbows on the table. Optimus shook his head sadly.

"No. Only that they are to be transported next week across the country to a maximum security penitentiary."

There was only silence for a few moments, broken only by the sound of Leo drumming his fingers on the wooden table top. Optimus rose from his chair and moved to stand behind me. His stainless steel hands came down and started to rub soothing circles into my tense shoulders. After about a minute or so, he moved around so that he was kneeling in front of me. He took both of my hands in one of his, resting his other hand over mine.

"If I do know one thing Cordelia, it is this. I will keep you safe, no matter the cost."

.o

We lived uneventfully for two happy years in Montana. Leo found a job with the local police force, and was soon elected to be the town's new sheriff, replacing the old one that had passed away in the summer. The town's local police force had welcomed him warmly, which was a relief for Leo. The old sheriff had grown up in the small town and was loved by all of the local residents. Leo was fair and open to suggestions from all of the residents, both young and old.

Our first Christmas came and went relatively quickly. It was a bittersweet affair, as it was the first Christmas I'd had since meeting Optimus that the other Autobots had not been present. Leo joined us at the ranch and we played stupid games all day. Optimus looked adorably hysterical in his paper Christmas hat, which wouldn't sit straight on his head due to his cat-like ear finials.

The daily temperature for that December in West Yellowstone had not gone above -6°C, and as the evening rolled in, Optimus lit the log fire. The massive fireplace gave off a delicious amount of heat, and I relished in its warmth, snuggled up in the thick woollen blanket that Optimus had gotten me for Christmas. We were playing a 'guess who' game and Optimus had taken centre stage, standing in the middle of the lounge with a small piece of paper stuck to his forehead.

Leo was clutching a glass of red wine, and I was nursing my own snowball. Optimus had, unsuccessfully, been trying to guess who he was for twenty minutes. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with a thumb and forefinger, a sign that he was beginning to get a little frustrated. He couldn't quite grasp the concept of the game, and kept asking Leo and I questions which required answers other than yes or no.

Michael Bublé crooned softly in the background, singing about white Christmases and open log fires. Optimus cycled a deep intake of air and then appraised Leo and I thoughtfully.

"Am I human?" I grinned widely at him.

"Yes, you are indeed human." His lip plates expanded into a small smile.

"Am I female?" I shook my head at him. "So…I am a human male. What is my occupation?" I smacked my hands to my head.

"Optimus, my darling bot, you can only ask us questions which can be answered with yes or no."

"Argh. My bad. Okay, let me start again. Am I a celebrity?" This time, he directed the question at Leo. Leo shifted his weight in his seat, leaning forward.

"Not in the strictest sense of the word…" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Leo don't tease him! No Optimus, you are not a celebrity." Optimus narrowed his optics for a split second at Leo, winking at him afterwards to show him that he was only joking.

"Hmm…I am a human male, but not a celebrity. Am I a human that either you or Leo know?"

"Yes." His optics brightened at my affirmative answer.

"Am I a well-mannered human?"

"NO!" Leo and I amused each other by shouting the answer at exactly the same time. Optimus grinned and clicked his metallic fingers.

"Am I…Theodore Galloway?"

"Yay! You got it!" I jumped up from the couch and leapt into his arms. He caught me, surprised but hugged me close. He nuzzled his face into my hair and inhaled.

"Mmm, you smell so soft and familiar. Yours is my favourite scent in the universe, both known and unknown." I laughed and rubbed my nose against his. He set me gently back down on the ground before playfully pushing me onto the couch. "Now, I think, a movie is appropriate. Would you like to watch your favourite Christmas film?" I nodded eagerly and retrieved the DVD from where it was sitting on the arm of the couch. I handed it to Optimus and he slid it into the player before coming to join me on the couch.

He arranged the thick woollen blanket over himself and then pulled me towards him with one arm. The heavy blanket protected me from his sharp metal body parts, and allowed us to snuggle together properly, not with me just sitting on his shoulder as we usually did when we watched a film together.

The opening credits rolled onto the screen and we were greeted with the scene of a busy Christmas party with Arnold Schwarzenegger at the centre, answering copious amounts of phone calls and telling everybody that they were his number one customer.

As the movie progressed, I was awarded bouts of Optimus' incredulous laughter as Arnold Schwarzenegger tried unsuccessfully to find the Turbo-Man doll for his son on Christmas Eve.

Optimus threw his head back and roared with laughter at the post credits scene when Arnold's character realised he had not gotten a Christmas present for his wife.

It was a film that Optimus and I watched together every year, and every year we both giggled like fools whilst watching it.

Leo shook his head in mock disbelief and pulled himself out of his chair to start on washing the dishes from lunch. Optimus left my side to aid Leo in the washing up, Leo washing and he drying. It was one of the most ordinary and benign activities on the planet, but the sight of Optimus Prime drying dishes was immensely fascinating.

Leo's blue Ford Ranger was sitting in the horseshoe shaped driveway as he was staying with us overnight in the spare room. I snuggled into the deep recesses of the couch, pulling the blanket around my shoulders and enjoying the heat that the fire was continually throwing out. The clock informed me that it had just gone past eleven thirty, and the day's excitement was beginning to catch up with me. I put my snowball on the small end table beside the couch before I dropped it in my lap in my sleepy state. I flicked the TV onto stand-by, shutting my eyes to block out the annoying red light.

Leo and Optimus chatted to each other quietly, the clink of plates going back into the cupboard interrupting the sound of their voices.

I dozed lightly on the couch for about twenty minutes before being awoken by the couch disappearing from beneath me. I woke with a start and then relaxed when I realised I was in Optimus' arms. He smiled at me gently and shifted me in his arms so that he was carrying me in the bridal style. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into his shoulder, sleep reclaiming me already. He chuckled, his low baritone voice a comforting presence in my ear.

He made his way upstairs and deposited me in the bed, pulling the covers right up to my neck. His lip plates brushed across my hairline in his version of a goodnight kiss.

"Goodnight my little one, sleep well." I murmured an incoherent 'goodnight' to him and turned over onto my stomach.

I was asleep within seconds.

.o

My first birthday in ranch was one of the best that I'd had in a long time, despite the other Autobots' absence. Leo and Optimus had pulled together to make a fantastic breakfast, and then we'd hiked around the ranch to the lake that was nestled in amongst the wooded mountains. I was able to use the new snow boots that Optimus had given me for my birthday.

The November air was crisp and chilly and the deep snow crunched under all of our footprints. Optimus left the funniest looking footprint – his metallic toes stuck out at least six inches from the rest of his foot. A thin layer of frost formed on his armour, and it crackled whenever he flexed his joints.

It took us about two hours to reach the lake. When we got there, Leo reached into his rucksack and produced a flask of hot chocolate. As he handed me a cup full of the steaming liquid, he shot Optimus an apologetic glance.

"Sorry Big Guy…I didn't think. I should have brought you some motor oil or something…" Optimus laughed and clapped Leo on the back.

"No worries Leo – it is not necessary for me to drink, either for comfort, pleasure or survival." As he spoke, Leo's ears turned pink, but I did not know whether it was from embarrassment or the cold. Optimus reached into one of his subspace compartments and pulled out a small box. It was wrapped in blue wrapping paper and had been finished with a plain red ribbon. Optimus held it out for me. I took it from him and grinned at the use of his own colours for the wrapping paper and ribbon. He pulled me in close for a hug.

"Happy birthday little one." His lip plates brushed across my cheek and he twiddled my auburn hair in his fingers. "Open your gift – it is from both of us." I took a quick swig of hot chocolate and then handed the cup to Leo. I slipped one finger underneath a seam in the paper and made a clean tear. I pulled the wrapping paper to reveal a pain black box. The box itself was about the size of the palm of my hand; in Optimus' vast metallic grasp it had looked far smaller. I flipped the box open and gasped at the contents.

A single charm was nestled in the box. It was spherical in shape and had tiny blue circles all the way around it. I couldn't tell if it was the brightness of the sun, but the charm appeared to be glowing ever so slightly. The charm itself was attached to a beautiful silver chain. It had delicate links and an overall feminine appearance. I took it out of the box, and the chain ran like liquid silver over my fingers. I cupped the charm in my hands to see if it was really glowing or if it was just the brightness of the sun. I closed one eye and squinted into my closed hands. The charm continued to glow faintly despite the darkness.

I looked up at Optimus and Leo, who were both looking at me expectantly. Leo was wringing his hands nervously, waiting for my reaction.

"Ergh…the chain is sterling silver and twenty-four inches long…it has a sturdy clasp and—" I stepped forward and hugged him.

"I love it Leo, thank you so much. Thank you so much Optimus!" I released Leo from my grasp and pounced on Optimus. He caught me with an amused smile and buried his face into my hair, his cold ear finials tickling my cheek. He set me back on the ground and I stepped back so that I could see both of them.

"Thank you so much guys – seriously, it's the best!"

"The chain is from me and the charm is from Optimus – erh I guess he'll explain how he made it."

"Thank you so much Leo – the chain is beautiful." He nodded to me bashfully and continued to nervously wring his hands.

Optimus stepped forward and took my hands in his huge ones.

"That charm is unlike any other you will find on earth, or in the universe I believe. The metal of the charm is made from the metal that surrounds my Spark, I usually refer to that area as the 'Spark casing.' I saw that you looked rather curious about the glowing of the charm – it is indeed glowing independently, for contained within the charm's casing is a tiny portion of my Spark. My Spark may originally appear as a ball of pulsating gas, but if you were to examine a portion such as the one inside your charm under a microscope that had been magnified many times over, you would in fact see that all Transformers' Sparks, be they Decepticon or Autobot, are made of plasma. My Spark contains billions upon billions of cells which contain electrically charged ionised gases. That is what is known as plasma. A similar concept is used to create your plasma screen TVs. When you wear the necklace, I will be able to determine your exact location and observe your vital statistics. It will also act as a 'signal booster' for my holoform when it is activated. It will increase the range and promote the image I project from 'standard' to 'high definition.'"

"Wow, that's a lot of information."

"Mmhmm. I think the Internet's favourite expression for lots of information is 'info dump.'" I laughed, hearing Optimus say that sounded so bizarre yet so right at the same time. I took the necklace completely out of the box and held it up to Optimus.

"Help me put it on?" Optimus shifted his weight awkwardly.

"I fear my fingers are too large for the chain – it is very fragile and I would hate to break it." Looking at the chain again, I had to admit that what he said was true. His large fingers would probably snap the tiny clasp at even the lightest of touches. I turned to Leo and held the chain up. He stepped forward and took the chain in his hands. I turned around and held my hair out of the way so that he could easily fasten the chain's clasp.

The necklace fell nicely against my chest and I knew right then that I would never take it off.

We spent the rest of the afternoon having a snowball fight, Optimus got the most hits in due to his advanced targeting systems, but Leo and I worked as a team to pelt him with as many snowballs as possible. By the end of the day, we were all collapsed in an exhausted heap on the snowy floor. When it started to get dusky, we made our way back to the ranch. When my legs started to burn due to the thick snow, Optimus scooped me up wordlessly onto his back. My arms automatically locked around his neck and my legs did the same to his waist.

"My little spider monkey." I grinned and rested my head against the back of his, and soon fell asleep to the gentle rhythm of his walk.

.o

I was brought back from my memories to the present day by a loud consistent beeping. A burning smell alerted me to the fact that it was the smoke alarm going off. I looked down to find the source of the smell, and the water that I had been boiling my potatoes in was completely evaporated, and my potatoes were now a blackened mess, stuck fast to the bottom of the saucepan.

"Shit." I muttered under my breath, turning off the gas and grabbing a tea towel to wave in front of the smoke detector. The incessant beeping stopped after about a minute of me waving the tea towel in front of the device. I tossed the potatoes into the bin, just as Optimus stormed in through the back door.

His armour was flecked with the small dots of rain drops. I could hear metal against metal as he ground his lip plates together in apparent frustration. He seemed to be making an extreme effort to hold his emotions in. He walked wordlessly past me into the living room. He started pacing up and down the lounge with an almost fevered madness. I abandoned the saucepan in the sink and approached Optimus slowly.

"Hey, easy there Big Guy! You'll wear trenches into the floor!" I put a laugh at the end of the sentence so that he would know I wasn't being genuinely serious. Instead of the crooked smile I expected, his response was a mere grunt. He sat down heavily on the couch, only to rise again a second later. I held my arms out to him. "Optimus, what's wrong?" He held up a hand to me – he needed a minute. I respected his silent request, patiently waiting for him to speak. He pinched the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger, expelling a large volume of air from the vents on the back of his head at the same time. His left hand was clenched into a tight fist which gave off a metallic 'ping' as he slapped the palm of his other hand against it.

His shoulders sagged, and I knew that he was ready for me to approach. I went up to him slowly, holding out my hand by way of support. He took it and pulled me into him, cupping my head with his fisted hand. I reached around and took his hand in mine, gently unfolding his tightly curled fingers. His fingers slowly opened to reveal a scrunched up piece of paper. I took it out of his hand and smoothed it out. My heart dropped into my stomach as I saw the image on the paper.

A black and white image of Optimus stared defiantly back at me. His battle mask was over his nose and mouth, and his optics were devoid of any emotion whatsoever. This image of Optimus was a battle hardened one, an image of Optimus wearing an expression that screamed defiance and indifference. An expression that was utterly unfamiliar on my gentle giant. In large black text, "Transformers are dangerous" was printed on the poster. I turned the paper over and read a brief list of instructions informing people what to do if they thought that they had stumbled across a Transformer. The poster instructed them to ring the number provided immediately and 'not to approach suspected Transformer.' The poster also stated that the alliance between the Autobots and the American government had been formally terminated. The Autobots were now seen as asylum seekers and refugees on Earth. Above all, the poster made it clear that they were not welcome anymore.

I looked up at Optimus in shock. He ground his lip plates together before speaking.

"They…didn't even tell us." It sounded like he was trying to hold in a great deal of rage and anger, which was strange for Optimus. I'd never seen him outright angry. Sometimes his fear came through as anger, but it was always more of a desperation. The way he was now…I could almost feel the rage radiating from him in giant waves. "We save this planet and its entire populace three times, each time asking **NOTHING** in return except for a home…and now we are denied even that. Cordelia…I cannot be betrayed a third time…I cannot. First Megatron, then Sentinel…and now…and now…" His voice let out a mechanical whine as he sunk to his knees on the floor. Even on his knees, his hands were able to reach my shoulders. He clung onto me the way a baby monkey clings to its mother's back.

I cupped his head in both hands and let him cry against my stomach. His cries were akin to a car that couldn't start, but a vocal equivalent. Because he didn't have lungs, his vocalisations weren't cut short by the need to breathe. Instead, the whir of his intakes coping with the increased volume of air from his crying made it sound like he had the hiccups. I comforted him as a mother would her child, offering my touch as a source of security and familiarity. It was occasions like this where he found solace in actions rather than words.

"What are we going to do Cordelia? I can't lose you again…I just can't." My heart broke at the desperation in his voice and at the cruel sense of irony. Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, was asking _me_ what we should do.

He continued to sob quietly into my jumper, his fists kneading the fabric as if it were dough. We remained like that for what seemed like an eternity, but I didn't rush him. I knew he needed to express this emotion, and emotion would not be rushed.

Optimus' sobs quietly subsided until they were nothing more than hitched intakes of air. He rubbed his fingers over his optics, blinking furiously to try and get rid of the remaining fluid. He stood in one swift motion. His noble face displayed none of the emotions that he had been expressing only seconds before. He saw crying as weakness and only ever cried in front of me.

He took the paper from me and scrunched it back up into a tight ball. He threw it over my head and I heard it land with a soft 'thud' in the bin behind me.

"I am so sorry Cordelia – that was a moment of weakness. I can assure you that it will not happen again." I reached up and cupped his silver and blue face in my hands.

"Optimus, this is **me** you are talking to. You don't ever have to be formal or hide your feelings from me." He smiled a small smile, imitated a sigh and then shrugged.

"I am the leader of the Autobots. My men cannot witness a moment of weakness like that…and I…I cannot lose you again Cordelia. I will do **whatever** it takes to protect you. I will never, **ever** forsake you." I smiled at him and leaned my head against his chest. I felt him chuckle quietly against me.

"What are you laughing at?" I asked him incredulously.

Optimus rested his chin gently on top of my head before he answered me.

"Even with my restricted height in this holoform, you are still so small." I snorted playfully and pushed against him. To my surprise he offered me no resistance and the pair of us tumbled into a noisy heap on the floor, his long metallic arms protecting me from even the slightest jostle. "Cordelia, you never cease to amaze me. I hope you realise that." I stuck my tongue out at him and rubbed his nose with mine. His arms wrapped tenderly around me, and we just lay on the floor in silence, enjoying each other's company.

I relished in the sense of safety he brought me and marvelled at how his touch did not induce me into the horrific flashbacks or sexual abuse at the hands of my father. Even Leo, they only other person I loved besides Optimus, sometimes caused me to experience a flashback by doing something as trivial just holding my hand, and that was all it took to send me spiralling over the edge. Optimus understood me like no one else ever had.

Optimus' voice brought me out of my daydreams.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Huh?" Optimus chuckled underneath me.

"You haven't blinked for fifty-two seconds. Usually that means that you are thinking deeply about something." I rested my chin on his chest and looked him in the eye.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how you understand me…and how I've never loved anybody like I love you."

"D'aww, you flatter me." He hid behind his hands as he spoke, his voice raising a couple of octaves in his imitation of bashfulness. I barely supressed a snort of laughter. I buried my face into his chest and exhaled, making his chest plates warm with my breath. I felt him manipulate two fingers underneath my chin and he lifted my face so that I was looking directly at his blue optics. "In all seriousness Cordelia…thank you." I raised my eyebrows in confusion.

"What for?" He smiled and started to play with a strand of my red hair.

"For everything, cheering me up just now and for just being _you._ You have one of the most beautiful souls in the universe Cordelia. Be proud of who you are; a beautiful young woman who has had an unlucky hand in life." My eyes pricked with tears at his unexpected words.

"Bloody hell Optimus, are you determined to make me cry?" I grinned at him and he pulled me close.

We laid like that for a few more minutes until my stomach emitted a thunderous rumble. Optimus roared with laughter.

"Hmm, I think we'd better do something about your internal assemblage little one. A jacket potato with cheese and beans for dinner?"

I nodded the affirmative eagerly. Optimus' jacket potatoes were to _die_ for. Optimus pulled me to my feet and I sat down on one of the chairs at the dining table.

Half an hour later, Optimus served up the cheesiest, beaniest jacket potato I had ever eaten.

After eating, I slipped into an easy, jacket-potato-induced nap.

.o

A few uneventful weeks went by, and arriving with the New Year came the annual winter storm. Weather forecasters predicted twenty-two inches of snow to fall over the next two days. Optimus had taken me into town to get supplies just in case we got snowed in, which had happened two out of the three years that we had been living on the ranch.

I pushed the fully shopping trolley up to the checkout area in the Target supermarket. Optimus was parked outside in the car park, unable to use his holoform as the cash registers interfered with the signal and electric feedback of his holoform.

I was putting the stuff from the trolley onto the conveyor belt when I noticed the man staring at me. He was tallish with dirty blonde hair and a large scar going from the centre of his forehead, down his left cheek and finishing just above his jaw. He wore aviator sunglasses and a long leather trench coat. When he saw me staring at him, he looked down, suddenly finding the contents his trolley very interesting. I shrugged it off and continued loading my groceries onto the conveyor belt. When I looked up again, the man was gone. As my groceries moved up the conveyor belt as the woman scanned them through, I noticed the man outside, looking at Optimus with what looked like great interest.

After walking once around Optimus, the scarred man entered the store again. He started to make a beeline for me, and my blood turned to ice in my veins. He had the arrogant swagger of a man on an important mission, and I knew I could not let him get near me.

I mumbled an excuse to the clerk about forgetting my purse and started walking quickly towards the exit. The man walked directly into my path, and I would not be able to pass him without going straight past him. A fire exit caught my eye, and I started to make my way towards it. The man quickened the pace of his walk, but I was faster. I pushed heavily against the door and slipped quickly through it.

The alarm started to sound, and in the commotion it caused, I was able to return to Optimus without the scarred man seeing me. I hauled myself into the cab and sat down in the driver's seat. Optimus turned his engine on, revving it as he selected first gear.

"Just drive", I said through gritted teeth. Optimus' snow chains rattled as he reversed and sped out of the car park, all the while keeping to the legal speed limit.

"What is it? What's happened?" Optimus' voice was serious, his Prime persona firmly in place.

"I don't know for sure, but the guy who was looking at you is definitely bad news. He had 'agent' written all over him." Optimus growled and revved his engines in response.

"I'm taking us home." I gripped the wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I belatedly realised that it might be uncomfortable for Optimus. I let go abruptly.

"Sorry Big Guy, I wasn't thinking." Optimus vibrated the seat I was sitting in.

"Grip it as tightly as you like little one. I receive minimal sensory input from my steering wheel." Reassured by his statement, I resumed my vice grip on the wheel. I stayed like that for the whole ten mile ride home, and hopped out of Optimus' cab before he came to a complete halt.

There was a rush of cool air and then Optimus' human sized holoform was standing before me. "I have sent a text message to Leo on an encrypted frequency channel – once he reads the text message it will delete itself. He will be here shortly. Pack a bag Lia – only the essentials." I nodded and hurried to unlock the front door.

Optimus was hot on my heels. "I'll get the non-perishable items. I've told Leo we're going on holiday. The less he knows the better. His ignorance will protect him if the government decide to come scenting around." I didn't gently laugh at him as I would have usually, the situation was too serious for any kind of humour.

I took the stairs two at a time and threw open the door of my room. I went straight to the wardrobe and got out my old duffle bag. I started throwing in various items of clothing; underwear, socks, jeans and jumpers. I had no idea where Optimus wanted to go, so I packed for all types of weather. I went into the en-suite bathroom and got some tampons from my stash and shoved them into the duffle bag. Better to be prepared than be caught by my period unexpectedly.

I shoved my phone charger into the bag and then thought better of it. I would have to ditch my phone once we were a safe distance from the ranch, so I put the charger back onto my dresser table. I stuffed my journal and a pen into the bag and then zipped it up securely. All in all, it took me six minutes to put everything that I needed into the duffle bag. I slung the bag over my shoulder and joined Optimus downstairs.

He was waiting for me in the lounge, a worried expression on his face.

"What is it? Has something happened?" I couldn't keep my voice from sounding a little bit hysterical, and as always, Optimus picked up on it. He came over to me and took the back off of my shoulder, hanging it on his own. He took my hands in both of his and squeezed them gently.

"Leo is unable to meet us. There is something that is preventing him from leaving the station."

"So…we won't be able to say goodbye?" Optimus shook his head sadly.

"No Lia. I am so sorry. We need to get going, I need to keep you safe, and they can't trace us back to the ranch – all would be lost then." I nodded and rubbed my eyes, almost pushing the unfallen tears back into them. Optimus led me through the lounge, out of the front door and up to the Peterbilt truck that was gleaming in the afternoon sunshine.

He opened the passenger door and lifted me easily into the cab with one arm. The duffle bag he was carrying was deposited at my feet. His holoform then disappeared in a wave of static before reappearing in the cab next to me, this time in his human guise.

Optimus eased the truck into gear and carefully manoeuvred himself out of the horseshoe shaped driveway. Within ten minutes we were off of the gravelly one track road and on the main road that would take us into town. Instead of turning right at the intersection, Optimus turned left and soon we were on the highway. Once we were merged right in with the fast flowing traffic, Optimus took one hand off of the steering wheel and held my hand. His soft skin didn't affect me the way other humans' skin did. Perhaps it was because I knew it wasn't _real_ human skin. Whatever the reason was, I was extremely grateful that Optimus' human touch didn't cause me to have flashbacks of my father.

I rubbed my eyes and yawned. Optimus moved his arm so that it was around his shoulders and my head ended up on his firm and muscular chest.

"Is this comfortable for you?"

"Mhm. I can drive quite easily with one arm. I'm only using the holoform in case we pass any police cars."

"Good idea" I said, yawning again.

"Why don't you go to sleep little one? I'll wake you when we stop for petrol. I'll keep you safe."

I mumbled an incoherent reply and promptly fell asleep, soothed by his artificial heartbeat.

.o

When Optimus gently shook me awake, it was dark outside. The temperature on his dashboard read -9°C, though Optimus had turned his heaters on full blast so that I didn't get cold. We were parked in a petrol station and Optimus didn't look like he had been driving for the best part of three hours.

"Where are we?" I asked, looking around to see if I could see a sign.

"We are still in Montana, in a town called Livingston. I need petrol and you need nourishment. Here, put this on." He handed me a plain black baseball cap, and I put it on, pulling it right down so that it almost covered my eyes and nose. He tucked my hair so that it wouldn't get in the way of the cap and then handed me my fingerless gloves. "I will never understand why you insist on wearing these garments – they do not serve their intended purpose of keeping your hands warm." I rolled my eyes at him.

"I like to have my fingers free, that's why. Am I filling your tank all the way up?"

"Yes please." Optimus waited for me to pull on my thick winter jacket before he handed me his black Amex card, which was under the pseudonym of 'Oliver Prime'. I hopped out of the cab and took the diesel nozzle out of its little holder. I tried to unscrew the cap, but it was stuck fast.

"A little help?" I nudged one of Optimus' tyres, and the cap popped open of its own accord. I stuck the nozzle into the hole and watched the numbers climb as the petrol poured into Optimus' tank. Optimus shook on his wheels and almost _shivered._ "Hey, what's crawled up your tail pipe?" I asked, only half-jokingly.

"It's **cold!** Imagine getting into an ice cold bath." I patted his wheel and willed the petrol to go in faster so he wouldn't be uncomfortable for any longer than was absolutely necessary. I was just about to pay when Optimus spoke up. "Don't pay just yet – let me hack into their systems so they can't trace the card back to this area. I've done the same to your cellular device – it will only last for one text message though."

I slid the card through the payment device and then tucked it into the back pocket of my jeans. I pulled my phone and typed a quick message to Leo.

 **/ Oliver and I are safe. We're going away for a while. I love you. /**

I wanted to say more, but it was too risky in case the message fell into the wrong hands.

"Done." I said, turning the phone over and over in my cold hands.

"Good girl. Put the phone behind one of my tyres and I will reverse over it." I did as he said and then climbed back into his warm interior. There was a small 'crunch' as Optimus backed out of the petrol station and onto the main road. "I'm sorry that you had to do that little one, but it was necessary."

"It's okay Optimus – really. As long as we stay together, that's all that matters." Optimus squeezed my hands and then looked me dead in the eye.

"Are you ready?"

"I'm ready."


	6. Chapter 6

We drove solidly for two days, only stopping for toilet and food breaks. Optimus had decided to drive predominantly north, going in a zig-zag kind of fashion in order to throw off any potential followers. The weather had stayed below freezing and snowy, so the snow chains on Optimus' tyres remained useful for the time being.

I woke up just as we were driving over the state border from Montana into North Dakota. Optimus' clock said that it was just after six o'clock in the evening. We were driving along a quiet road, and it was so dark that Optimus had to use his full beams to light the road ahead.

"There are no oncoming vehicles for the next eight and three quarter miles. My full beam will not obstruct anybody's view." I wrapped my small hand around his large one.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me Optimus – I trust you one million per cent!" Optimus chuckled and grazed my cheek with the back of his hand.

"Thank you Cordelia, your faith in me gives me more strength than you know."

His unexpected compliment sent heat and blood rushing to my freckled cheeks.

"I'll continue to drive through the night – but I'll stop in Dickinson for fuel. My tank is nearly empty, and with the minimum amount of fuel in it, it gives me an itchy sensation. I turned in my seat to face him.

"An 'itchy' sensation? What do you mean?"

"Think of it as having a bath. You run a somewhat deep bath, and when the water starts to lose its heat, you pull the plug, but you don't let all of the water drain away. You put the plug back in when the water is just at about ankle depth. But you don't get out of the bath, you stay sitting in the lukewarm water while the skin on your arms and upper legs starts to dry. As it starts to dry, your skin sometimes becomes itchy as a result of the water leaving your skin. Am I right?"

I nodded, amazed as to how he could describe something so perfectly when he had never experienced it. "A fuel tank that is almost empty is my equivalent to your nearly empty bath. It is a mere annoyance, nothing more. We have about seventy miles until we reach Dickinson. What do you fancy listening to on the radio?" I smiled at him.

"I don't mind Big Guy, you choose."

"Okay then." He said with a grin, flicking the radio on without using his holoform. C.W. McCall's 'Convoy' soon filled the cab. Optimus grinned widely at me and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel in time to the music.

"… _Was the dark of the moon on the sixth of June  
In a Kenworth pullin' logs  
Cab-over Pete with a reefer on  
And a Jimmy haulin' hogs  
We is headin' for bear on I-one-oh  
'Bout a mile outta Shaky Town  
I says, "Pig Pen, this here's the Rubber Duck.  
"And I'm about to put the hammer down.""_

Optimus crooned along with the song, his deep voice making the words sound almost mystical. It was dark enough now that Optimus could use his human-sized Cybertronian holoform to drive. The lights in the cab flickered as he changed from the human guise to his true self. He made a saluting motion with his left hand. I joined in singing with him when the chorus erupted over his speakers.

" _Cause we got a little convoy  
Rockin' through the night.  
Yeah, we got a little convoy,  
Ain't she a beautiful sight?  
Come on and join our convoy  
Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way.  
We gonna roll this truckin' convoy  
'Cross the U-S-A.  
Convoy!_"

I subconsciously put my hand on Optimus' gear stick, and suddenly the Peterbilt jerked and almost jumped off of the road at the same time as Optimus let out an explosive peal of laughter. He side eyed me through his azure blue optics, the beginnings of a smile on his pursed mouth plates.

"Ahh sorry! I forgot."

"Heh, no worries little one. I suppose it keeps me alert." He said, his eyelids clicking quietly as he winked playfully at me.

"I suppose we've driven a little bit of the USA – certainly not across it, but the concept is the same." Optimus chuckled and ruffled a few strands of my red hair with his free hand.

"Perhaps we'll do that one day, when the Decepticon threat has been completely eliminated and the humans are back on side…we'll drive across the United States."

"That would be AWESOME." I tried unsuccessfully to do a Southern accent. "Ain't nuthin' better than bein' on the road with Optimus Prime!" It earned me an amused sideways glance from Optimus and a quiet chuckle.

"You're so cute, do you know that?" It was _my_ turn to laugh.

"'Cute'? Seriously?" Optimus pretended to look confused.

"What? What did I say?" I grinned at him and flicked him gently on his left ear finial.

"Nothing, nothing. If anything, **you** sound cute saying 'cute'. It sounds bizarre in your voice." He raised a brow and then spoke, lowering his voice to its deepest pitch.

"Would it be more satisfactory if I said 'endearing?'" I threw back my head and burst out laughing.

"If you want to make it all the way to Dickinson or wherever it is we're going without stopping for a toilet break, you had better stop making me laugh!" Optimus chuckled and took my right hand in his left. Even human sized, my small hand fit perfectly in his huge palm. His fingers closed gently over my hand, and he started to rub small gentle circles into the back of my hand.

We spent the rest of the drive like that, Optimus singing softly along to the various songs that were played on the radio.

He held my hand all the way to Dickinson.

.o

It was around nine PM when Optimus passed the 'welcome to Dickinson' sign. It didn't take him long to find a Shell petrol garage, though we had to queue behind two other trucks for twenty minutes to get fuel. Optimus reactivated his human holoform.

"Argh. The other drivers have had the same idea. Everybody wants to get fuel so they can drive uninterrupted through the night."

I shrugged. "Most of these guys are on really tight deadlines. Have you ever watched _Ice Road Truckers_?" I meant the question as a rhetorical one, but Optimus suddenly sat bolt upright in his seat.

"You have just given me the most brilliant idea."

"Huh?" Optimus was practically quivering with excitement.

"How would you like to do some real ice road trucking? Give me a few seconds." His eyes took on that glazed look and he was looking at nothing in particular; the way he always did when he was browsing the Internet. "Got it. I've found the perfect village; it's in eastern Canada with easy escape routes – perfect if we need to use them. And it's right by the ocean."

"Ocean?"

"Mmhmm. The village is Mahone Bay in Nova Scotia. It will be a very long drive, but we should be safe there…at least for a while. What do you say?"

"I say 'one million per cent yes'! But I haven't got my passport…"

"Worry not little one – I have it with me. It's in my glove compartment. I thought it was best to always carry it with me in case of emergencies such as this one. I will need to alter your name and date of birth so that you don't show up on any of the government's databases, but that should be easy enough."

"Good thing you always think of everything Optimus. My brain is a sieve at the best of times." He responded by raising his brow in a silent question. "Y'know…when you're cooking you use a sieve to drain the water."

"I am afraid I do not understand…since when has your brain become a cooking utensil?" He looked so adorable and confused that it was extremely difficult not to laugh.

"No no…my brain is still my brain. It's just a figure of speech Op. Basically it means that some thoughts fall through the holes in my brain." He looked alarmed.

"Holes in your brain?! Why did you not inform me of this sooner? I need to get you to a physician right away." I took his face in my hands.

"Optimus, calm down. There are no holes in my brain and it has not magically turned into a cooking utensil. I promise you that there is absolutely no need to panic. The 'holes in my brain' thing was also a figure of speech." He visibly relaxed and sagged back against the seat.

"I apologise if I alarmed you little one…with recent events…I am…a little more agitated than I usually am." I patted the steering wheel.

"Optimus – you don't need to apologise. But what I think you do need is some fuel – look, it's our turn now." Optimus nodded and pulled forward adjacent to the vacant fuelling pump.

Once Optimus' tank had been refilled and the petrol paid for, we were back on the road. Within twenty minutes we had made our way out of Dickinson and were on the I-94 going east.

"Have a look in my glove compartment Lia – there's something for you in there." Curious, I reached down and unhooked the little latch that kept Optimus' glove compartment shut. It fell open to reveal a cheese and tomato sandwich, a can of Pepsi Max and a packet of pickled onion flavour crisps. I gasped.

"You didn't! How did you find them?" Optimus tapped his nose knowingly.

"That is for me to know, and for you never to find out," he said playfully. I shut the glove box and wriggled down into my seat. "Put your knees up on my dash if you want – I don't mind. As long as you're comfortable little one. We're in for a **very** long drive." I took him up on his suggestion and rested my knees on the padded section of the dashboard.

"When you say 'long drive', how long do you mean?"

"With the route I intend to take, it is approximately 2,599 miles to our destination, which equates to about forty hours on the road. I don't expect you to go that long without relieving yourself of course. I'm not Ironhide." I rolled my eyes at his reference to Ironhide.

Ironhide had once driven me from Leo's old work place in Chicago to Washington D.C.. For the whole way he had complained about my frequent need to stop for the toilet and to purchase food.

.o

Ironhide's irritation was almost palpable in the air. His revs per minute were increasing by the second.

"You're telling me you need to stop _again_?" I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat. I'd been quiet for the past hour and a half, but my bladder was protesting dearly against my skinny jeans, and I was pretty sure Ironhide didn't want to experience the contents of a human bladder first hand.

"The next service station is only two miles away Ironhide. I need water anyway."

"Pfft, you think I'll let you ingest anymore fluid? Cordelia, this will be the **eighth** time we will have stopped. You don't usually need to urinate this frequently! What is so different about today?" I stayed quiet, hoping he would drop the subject. He didn't. "Cordelia? Hello?" I patted the seat I was sitting on.

"I'm still here. Sorry. I just zoned out for a second there." Ironhide groused impatiently.

"Well, are you going to answer my question?" I sighed inwardly and rolled my eyes. Ironhide's steering wheel turned this way and that, all seemingly of its own accord. Ironhide's windows were dark enough that he could get away with driving and not have to use his human holoform. This was how we had been driving for the past three hours.

"It doesn't matter Ironhide. Can we please just stop so I can pee?"

"I'll make you a deal. If you tell me why you're producing so much waste material, I will stop so you can…'pee'." I rolled my eyes again and leaned forward, placing my head in my hands.

"You really want to know?"

"Mmhmm. I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but Ratchet is very fascinated with the human body. He thinks it is a marvellous work of biological evolution."

"Why is that relevant?"

"Well…Ratchet is always looking to further his education about humankind…with your permission, I will relay what you tell me to Ratchet."

I sighed, slightly exasperated. There was no hiding anything from any of the Autobots, what with their highly-sophisticated scanning equipment, they could tell everything about a person from their heart rate to whether or not they had cancer. Thankfully, Ironhide was not as observant as his Autobot colleagues.

"You really want to know 'Hide?" The seat underneath me vibrated at the same time as Ironhide's gravelly laugh came over his loudspeakers.

"Hit me with it fleshling." My annoyance at Ironhide melted away as he gently teased me. He did sometimes go a bit too far with his practical jokes, but his Spark was always in the right place.

"Okay Ironhide. You asked for it. I'm peeing more because I have my period right now." There were a few seconds of awkward silence whilst Ironhide processed the information.

"Cordelia, what is a period?" I groaned audibly and leaned back into my seat.

"Jeez Ironhide, Google it! It's too complicated to explain." Ironhide mumbled something that was too quiet for me to hear, and was then quiet for a few minutes as he perused the Internet.

"Cordelia…are you bleeding right now? Do you need a medic?" I fought the urge to punch his door.

"Yes, I am bleeding right now. No, I do not need a medic. It is quite normal Ironhide, please don't panic."

"So your body is disposing of an unfertilised ovum?"

"Yes Ironhide. It's quite normal and it happens every twenty-eight days or so."

"Hmm. Please accept my apologies Cordelia – we will be reaching the service station in approximately twelve minutes." I leaned over and patted his dashboard.

"It's okay 'Hide – honestly. And you can tell Ratchet if you want to – his processor will probably explode with the information that a human female can essentially bleed for four or five days and not die."

"Cordelia…our processors won't just 'explode', even if one of us experienced a traumatic head injury – it is a virtually impossible occurrence." I laughed gently at him.

"No…I didn't literally mean that I thought Ratchet's processor would explode…it was just a figure of speech." Ironhide seemed satisfied with my response and said nothing more until we reached the service station.

Within fifteen minutes of entering the service station, I had been to the toilet and purchased a bottle of water. Ironhide made sure I was safely strapped in before he pulled out of the car park.

I didn't need to stop for the rest of the journey.

.o

I smiled gently at the mention of Ironhide's name.

"Poor old Ironhide was never the most patient of bots was he?" Optimus smiled and rubbed his hand across his jaw. His human holoform was so realistic that his hand even made a sound as he scratched it lightly over his stubble.

"Hmm. He was a fantastic weapons specialist…his death has been a huge loss for our team. I remember how his impatience nearly cost us a mission on one occasion. Five Autobots against seventy-five Decepticons." His eyes glazed over, lost in the centuries-old memory.

"Oh? Tell me about it." Optimus grinned.

"We launched an assault on the Decepticon capital of Kaon. There had been rumours going around for many solar cycles that Megatron had managed to get his hands on Dark Energon. It is an extremely rare and volatile form of Energon. It holds the power to revive the dead. We could not afford to let Megatron reincarnate any of his old Decepticons. We had already dealt the Decepticons a devastating blow that slowed the progress of the war…briefly. But briefly was all we needed. We could not let Megatron reanimate Trypticon…anyway, that's another story. We were waiting outside the Decepticon barracks on the very outskirts of Kaon, where we knew the Dark Energon was being stored. The plan was to ambush the guards and take them by surprise when they changed shifts. But Ironhide…didn't want to wait. I suppose we waited for about an hour and a half, and Ironhide became more and more agitated with each passing minute. He exploded out of our hiding place in typical Ironhide fashion – literally with all guns blazing and his arm cannon firing. It ended up being myself, Ironhide, Prowl, Jazz and Mirage against seventy-five Decepticons. Primus was smiling down upon us that day, we were able to seize the Dark Energon with the minimal amount of injuries, and we suffered no casualties at all."

"Wow – that's quite a story Optimus."

"Hah. In Ironhide's version, it was two hundred Decepticons that we faced…in the Sea of Rust!" I laughed.

"Aww, you can always trust Ironhide to embellish a story!" Optimus sighed.

"I miss him Cordelia…by Primus I miss that trigger-happy mech." I grabbed his hand and squeezed it lightly.

"Me too Optimus, me too."

.o

I was fighting to stay awake when Optimus put on his right indicator and pulled into a lay-by. I knew he wouldn't mind me falling asleep, but I felt guilty leaving him with only the radio for company. As he rolled to a gentle stop, I twisted around in my seat to face him.

"How come we've stopped?" Optimus flickered his holoform, and it slowly reconstructed itself until it resembled his Cybertronian self.

"I am due for a recharge cycle, and it would be highly irresponsible of me to drive if I felt tired. I will not put you and other innocent humans at risk." That was typical of Optimus – always putting others before himself. His selflessness was one of his greatest strengths, but could also be considered a weakness. "You can rest in my sleeper here." He pulled me out of my seat and through to the sleeper. He turned down the covers for me and I kicked off my shoes before getting under them. The covers were the same colour blue as Optimus' body, and gloriously soft. "Are you comfortable?"

"Mmm…" I was already half-asleep. I heard him chuckle softly.

"I will recharge in alert mode tonight; I need to be aware if anyone has followed us. Goodnight my little one." He bent down and brushed his lip plates across my forehead. "Sleep well little one." The last thing I was aware off was the faint puff of air as his holoform dissipated into nothingness.

.o

The night passed uneventfully and after a quick breakfast of trail mix washed down by orange juice, we were back on the road. Optimus was back to using his human holoform, reclining comfortably in his seat with one long arm on the steering wheel. His other hand was resting loosely in my lap.

"We will be entering Minnesota in approximately four hours. There will be plenty of opportunity to stop for toilet breaks on the way – is that alright with you?"

"Mmhmm. Sounds good to me – was your recharge good last night?" Optimus nodded.

"Affirmative. I will not need to recharge for at least another seventy-two hours. That is more than enough time for me to transport us to our destination in Mahone Bay. Whilst you were asleep last night I edited your passport and changed your name and date of birth. I also changed your place of birth to Texas. I was able to hack into the Census and put 'Hannah Stone' onto the records."

"Hannah Stone?"

"Yes. It is much safer to use false names so we can stay under the satellite."

"Do you mean 'under the radar'?" Optimus shrugged nonchalantly.

"The basic concept is the same – you understood what I meant didn't you? I mean if you want to go into technical terms, a radar is a device used to detect the presence, direction, distance and speed of various vehicles like military and civilian aircrafts, not to mention ships. A satellite is an artificial body that is ejected into space to orbit around this planet in order to collect information or for the purposes of communication. English is a strange language; there are many 'figures of speech' that make no sense whatsoever, in Cybertronian, phrases and words have one meaning and one meaning only. If one wishes to get a different point across, then different phrases and words are used in conjunction with 'everyday' words and phrases. There are no hidden meanings in Cybertronian."

"You'll have to teach me Cybertronian sometime…it sounds like a really interesting language."

Optimus nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is. It is a shame really that humans are unable to download snippets of information into their brains – it would make the studying process significantly shorter."

"Yeah, well unfortunately our brains are soft organic tissue and not a super advanced computer." Optimus shot me an amused look.

"A 'super advanced computer' eh? Technically Cybertronians' processors are the equivalent of your quantum computers, but as you so eloquently put it, they are 'super advanced' when compared with the humans' technology." I poked him playfully in his shoulder.

"Alright Mr Sarcastic. I get it." His shoulders gently shook up and down with his silent laughter.

A comfortable silence settled over the cab, and I took the opportunity to look out of the passenger window. We were back on the freeway, the traffic flowing nicely and at a constant speed. The land surrounding the freeway was flat for the most part, save for the odd hill here and there. The drivers of the neighbouring cars kept a respectable distance from Optimus, staying at least two cars' lengths away, both in front of him and behind him.

"Optimus?"

"Mmm?"

"Are you using your holoform to drive, or are you just driving as you usually do?"

"I'm driving as I usually do – driving with a holoform feels unnatural to me. Think of it as a horse wearing blinkers – they can only see straight in front of them and have no periphery vision. I find that rather unnerving. Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "Just curious."

I settled back in my seat, leaned my head against Optimus' window and watched the world roll by.

.o

The hours trundled by slowly, each blending into the other, transforming into one long stretch of time. Optimus was humming quietly under his breath, a feat I thought was rather impressive, considering that he had no lungs. We were still on the freeway, the only difference being the quiet 'pat pat' of rain on Optimus' windshield.

"What does it feel like to you when it rains?" Optimus scratched his stubble, as he did in robot mode, just missing the absence of his metal chin.

"Hmm…probably much the same as it feels for you. It is a minor irritant, but it does not impact on my ability to sense the road. Hail does though – it interferes with my proximity sensors and my tactile sensors. And, depending on the size of the hailstones, it can _hurt!_ I suppose your equivalent is being stung by a bee or a wasp."

"Oh okay, I never thought of it like that. Good thing it only hails in the winter then!" Optimus smiled and motioned to something with a nod of his head.

"See that?" I looked in the direction he was motioning to and saw the sign. The sign was in the shape of Minnesota and simply said 'welcome to Minnesota!' "Now we just have to drive through Minnesota and across to Wisconsin. Then, onto Canada!" I smiled at him, though it didn't reach my eyes. He noticed and gently grazed my cheek with his knuckles. As always, he seemed to know exactly what was going through my mind. "We'll see Leo again someday Cordelia; I promise you that. I just have to keep you safe, and I am positive that his ignorance will protect him, if and most certainly when the authorities come looking for us. It is unlikely, and perhaps foolish of me to hope that once we reach Canada, we will be free from the jurisdiction of the American government…and maybe the Canadian government will be sympathetic. Somehow…I sincerely doubt that that will happen."

"Oh Optimus, we'll be okay. I know that much. As long as we're together, we can face anything." He took my hand in his and held it up to his face.

"That we can little one, that we can."

.o

The sun was hanging low over the horizon when Optimus pulled into a petrol station accompanied by a small Seven-Eleven convenience store. He rolled to a stop and left his engine idling for a few minutes before turning it off.

"What do you fancy to eat? Money is not an issue – you can have what you want." I smiled at him and unbuckled my seatbelt.

"I'll take a wander in and see what they've got – I'll probably get a few more bags of trail mix and maybe some Pop Tarts – they're not bad to eat on the go." Optimus wrinkled his face in disgust when I mentioned the Pop Tarts. His false human skin imitated wrinkles and creases perfectly. Optimus had fashioned his hologram to look like a man in his late forties to early fifties. He wanted to look like my guardian, not a partner.

"Pop Tarts have very little nutritional value Cordelia – your body will be unable to obtain the maximal amount of energy from them. You need a food that is higher in fibre."

"I realise that Optimus – but we are on the road and I don't have access to an oven or even a microwave. Pop Tarts are easy and convenient to eat. I promise you, once we get to…Mahone Bay, I will sit down and eat an appropriate nutritional meal." Optimus smiled, though it didn't reach his gentle blue eyes.

"Argh, I'm sorry for badgering you Cordelia; it is because of me that we have had to leave home in the first place, and now you're not eating properly. I have turned your life upside down in a matter of days – and that is something that I am struggling to accept. I cannot, in good conscience, let you eat in this manner for much longer. Regardless of whether or not we reach Mahone Bay by tomorrow evening, I am ensuring you ingest a properly cooked meal."

"Yes mum." I said jokingly, trying to reassure him with a hand on his broad shoulder. Even as a human, he still oozed authority and power. Optimus looked confused for a second, and then realisation lit up his features.

"Ahh, you are referring to me as 'mum' due to my constant badgering of you to eat nutritionally superior foods."

"You got it Big Guy." I opened the passenger door and hopped out of the cab, my legs protesting at the bouncy landing. I pulled the black baseball cap that Optimus had given me yesterday low over my eyes and entered the store. I grabbed a big two litre bottle of water from the shelf and about six packets of Pop Tarts. The trail mix was located next to the cereal, and I grabbed a good four packets of that before taking some sweets from their place next to the cash register.

The girl behind the till looked tired and bored as she rung up my purchases, sliding the items across the scanner with monotonous regularity. She was wearing a black t-shirt with three quarter length sleeves, the red polo top bearing the 7/11 logo sitting inconspicuously over the top of the shirt. I caught a glimpse of the underside of one of her arms. Her pale skin was covered in short thick scars, each sporting a delicate pinky hue. I looked away quickly, handing over Optimus' black Amex. She raised her eyebrows at the card, but didn't say anything.

As the payment went through, she quickly started to pile my purchases into a clear blue plastic bag.

"We ran out of the store ones." Her voice was low and husky and sounded like she had a sore throat. I waved a hand nonchalantly at her.

"Oh that's okay." She nodded and looked out of the window over at Optimus.

"Nice truck. That your rig?"

"Mine? Uhh no, that's my dad's. We're going to Prudhoe Bay to pick up a load." She popped a bubble of her gum and handed me the bag.

"Ahh I feel ya. My old man used to work for a freight company. He was in Prudhoe all the time – it was crap when he had to bobtail back." I just nodded, unsure of what to say in response. She handed me the card and I put it in my pocket. I was just about to turn and leave when she spoke up again. "Hey, wait there a sec would ya chickadee? I wanna see something." I waited, limbs tense and ready to bolt for it if she turned out to be one of the 'bad guys.' "Let me see your eyes." I looked up, not taking the cap off but allowing her to see my eyes clearly. "Well, you got damn pretty eyes girl! How I'd like to see the world through those eyes." She paused, suddenly distracted by something outside the window. "Looks like your pop wants you back out there. Safe journey down to Prudhoe!" I thanked her and quickly made my way out of the store.

Optimus met me at the exit, his blue eyes anxious.

"Everything okay in there?" I nodded and he visibly relaxed. He took the bag from me and pulled me over to his real body. "Up you get little one" he said, lifting me with one arm into the cab. I fastened my seatbelt and waited for Optimus to get in the drivers' side. He started his engine and drove out of the petrol station. Within a few moments we were back on the freeway, and Optimus relaxed once more. "My apologies for being a little tense back there; I saw that young woman talking to you and became worried. My protection instinct is in overdrive at the moment." I reached over and patted the steering wheel.

"I know Big Guy…she just wanted to look at my eyes. A strange request perhaps, but not one to be worried about. Hey, do you remember the night we first met?"

"Do I remember the night we first met? Of course I do Cordelia; that moment will be in my memory banks until I go offline, and even then I will remember it for all of eternity. Our love is infinite Cordelia; an unstoppable and formidable force. May fate have mercy on anyone who crosses me to get to you."

"D'aww…you're just a big softie really aren't you?" Optimus smiled and rested one hand on top of the other on the steering wheel.

"I can't explain it Cordelia…I really can't. And that in itself is frustrating to me…these feelings are a totally different experience for me. You make me feel things that I never knew I was capable of feeling. In front of my comrades, I must keep the mask of leadership firmly in place. I cannot show them my true feelings, not really…if they believe that I am incapable of holding the position of command for even a _second…_ well…I cannot afford for them to doubt me for even a moment. They see me as the calm in the centre of the storm, and so they should. It is my job to protect and defend them, to make sure that they are happy in their duties and that they are able to perform those duties to the best of their abilities.

I am a Prime…there is no more important job on Cybertron than being a Prime. If my comrades see me crumble under the weight of emotion…how can they follow me into battle? If I were to weep in front of them…it would change their perception of me forever. On Cybertron…showing emotions such as sadness and sorrow is classed as weak. Cybertron was a planet where it mattered greatly what others thought of you. Megatron's reputation preceded him…Cybertronians who had never even seen or met Megatron lived in fear of him.

Cordelia…you are the only person in the whole universe who I can be myself with. I can cry and know you won't judge me. I can laugh hysterically and be safe in the knowledge that you won't gawk at me in surprise. I can lay open my Spark and all its contents before you, and know that you would cradle it as gently as you would a new-born baby. You have given me a unique gift Cordelia…and I do not intend to waste it."

Tears pricked the back of my eyes. I knew that Optimus loved me more than either of us could comprehend, but hearing him say the things he had just said painted a very real image in my mind's eye. In Optimus, I had a best friend for life, a protector and confidant.

"Optimus…I am so glad that you feel you can be like that with me. You know I feel the same Optimus. Sometimes…my love for you is so intense, and like you said, I can't understand it or even comprehend it. It's definitely not romantic love, we both know that much…but I love you so much Optimus, so damned much. I feel like if you bottled my love for you, you'd be able to sell it as a weapon of mass-destruction. I'm just content to continue loving you until I die, and even then I'll love you forever and ever, because souls are infinite." I saw him flinch ever so slightly when I said the word 'die'. He hated to be reminded of my short human lifespan – it made him agitated and fractious.

"There are mysteries to the universe that we were never meant to solve, Cordelia. Perhaps our love is one of them. Not everything in life needs an explanation. Perhaps all it needs is a definition as simple as this; we are two halves of the same whole."

I echoed his words in my head, liking the way that they sounded.

"Two halves of the same whole…I like it. You have a great way with words Optimus." He smiled but didn't say anything in response because he didn't _need_ to. We'd already said everything that needed to be said in that moment.

He was just content to drive down the long freeway, holding my hand in his.


	7. Chapter 7

Optimus woke me just as we were approaching the American-Canadian border.

"Lia – we're approaching the checkpoint. The border patrol officers will need to see your passport." I nodded and took a big glug from the bottle of water in Optimus' cup holder in an attempt to moisten my suddenly dry mouth. Optimus sensed my apprehension. "Easy Lia. I have changed my license plate number and deleted my details from the government's database. We won't trip any alarms, and your passport is fool proof. I promise you." I gave him a shaky smile and he squeezed my hand reassuringly.

We joined the long queue of cars waiting to get past the checkpoint and into Canada. Optimus' air brakes hissed every time he inched forward in the queue.

"How much further to go?"

"We are almost perfectly at the halfway point from where we started, so I would say maybe another ten hours on the road. Once we've been cleared to go through the checkpoint, we will go through Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. From there we will go south through New Brunswick and then onto Mahone Bay."

"Cool – can we try and do the last bit of the trip without stopping? I just want to get wherever we're going now." Optimus nodded in agreement.

"I know little one, I do as well. Throughout the journey I have been corresponding with somebody via email in relation to a small house for you. Don't worry about anybody picking up my signal – I have utilised the shielding technology that Ratchet developed for us before the breakdown of government relations." I held up a hand to stop him speaking.

"Woah woah woah. Back up a second – what do you mean a house?" Optimus raised an incredulous brow at me.

"You didn't think I would drag you over two thousand miles' worth of road and into a different country without first ensuring that you have somewhere to live upon our arrival do you?" I opened my mouth to speak, but my brain wouldn't engage with it and I couldn't make the words come out that I wanted to. "You have the house for a year – it's already been paid for. You will have to get a job as it will look suspicious if you can cope financially without having a job."

"What about you?"

"I can pose as your father to the general public – and we can come up with a reason for why I don't work. Perhaps I write computer programs and work from home."

"And the fact that there will be a Peterbilt parked outside twenty-four/seven?" Optimus smirked.

"I like big rigs. What can I say?" I rolled my eyes and put my head in my hands.

"Optimus, you need to take this seriously for god's sake! The government knows how to hurt you…they know where your soft spots are. I _need_ you to be safe Optimus – I can't watch you—" My breath hitched in my throat as my emotions threatened to overpower me. "I can't watch you die again Optimus…I _will_ bloody follow you next time…in fact, there won't **be** a next time, because it will happen over my frickin' dead body!" My hands started to tremble, and I stuck them under my thighs in an attempt to regain control.

Optimus turned to look me straight in the eye. His human face was serious and his eyes looked sad.

"Cordelia Prime. You look at me. I can't promise you that I won't die, even a Prime doesn't know the future. But what I _can_ promise you is that I will do absolutely everything in my power to ensure that I don't die. I do not intend to leave you Cordelia, not now, not ever. And as for you following me into the void…I won't allow that to happen. Not in a million years. Now, it's our turn in the queue. Is your passport ready? Good."

He rolled down both the driver's window and the passenger's window so that the border patrol officers could see who was in the vehicle. I fiddled with my passport, waiting for the officers to finish their inspection of Optimus. They had circular mirrors on the end of long poles which they proceeded to put underneath Optimus and check that he wasn't trying to smuggle anything illegal into the country. Satisfied that Optimus had no prohibited items, the officers equipped with the long poles moved onto the car behind us.

A man in aviator shades and a black Stetson hat approached Optimus' window and leant against it casually. He was chewing gum and looked thoroughly bored.

"License and passport documentation please." Optimus wordlessly handed over his 'passport' and the appropriate papers to the man. He scanned them nonchalantly for a few seconds before handing them back to Optimus. "Now for the young lady's please." I handed my passport over to Optimus, who handed it to the man through the open window. He flipped open my passport to the picture page and looked at the image for a few seconds before looking at me. He repeated this process a few times, and I felt a nervous sweat begin to form on the back of my neck. "Everything seems to be in order. Can I ask what your business is in Canada?"

"I am bringing my daughter to Mahone Bay for rest and recuperation under our doctor's advice. She is suffering from Myalgic Encephalopathy." The man took his sunglasses off and looked at Optimus with a puzzled expression.

"Myalgic what?"

"It is a condition more commonly known as 'M.E.'. It causes the patient to have reduced mobility and increased periods of fatigue. Sleep patterns can also be disrupted." The man raised his eyebrows.

"Are you a doctor?"

"No, I just like to know as much as I can about the condition that my daughter is suffering from. That way, I can help her to the best of my ability." The man nodded, apparently satisfied with Optimus' answer.

"Now you say it, she does look a little tired. You still got a heck of a way to go though."

"I realise that officer – perhaps we can be on our way? The sooner we arrive at our destination; the sooner my daughter can rest." The man stepped back from the window and tipped his hat at me.

"Oh yes, of course Mr Prime. I hope you feel better soon ma'am." I smiled at him as Optimus pulled away.

Once we were about two miles away from the checkpoint, I sagged back in my seat and relaxed.

"Well, that was easier than you thought it would be, wasn't it?"

"I know, I know. It's just the thought of losing you absolutely terrifies me. I've lived through it once – I can't live through it again Optimus. Fear clouds my mind. And where did you get the idea about my 'M.E.'?" Optimus shrugged.

"It seemed like a plausible excuse. One that would not invite unwanted questions."

"Fair enough. What are you doing?" Optimus' speakers were suddenly full of radio static and hissing sounds.

"I am searching for one of those audiobook stations. I rather like to listen to one as I am driving. I can always stream one from the Internet if you like?"

"I don't mind Big Guy; you pick as I'll probably end up falling asleep anyway."

"Probably." He said with a playful wink.

We ended up listening to Jeff Wayne's _War of the Worlds._ Optimus sighed as the speakers played out the destruction that the invading Martians wrought.

"It deeply disturbs me that in most of humanity's popular culture, nearly all aliens are seen as the 'bad guys'. With all Earth's films and stories, there are very few in which the 'aliens' do not kill everybody in their path. They always come with the intention of invading Earth and taking over absolutely everything that they possibly can. I shouldn't really be surprised that relations between the humans and the Autobots have broken down. I should have foreseen it. I was so wrong…it was I who told the humans whom to trust."

"Optimus…you have to stop blaming yourself – how could you have known Sentinel's true intentions?" Optimus smiled weakly.

"Ahh Lia. You always see the best in everybody. Sleep now little one – I am emailing the landlord of the house right now to let him know that we will be in Mahone Bay by this evening. The house is right on the edge of town and has a glorious view of the bay. It is secluded enough that I can walk around using my 'real body' as opposed to my holoform, but I will only be able to do this at night."

I stifled a yawn. "How do you always know when I am tired?"

"Your heart rate has decreased slightly and the frequency of your blinks has increased by twenty per cent in the last eight minutes. I would say in the next five minutes or so, you will start fighting to keep them open. Don't fight it little one, you'll be safe, I promise."

My seat fell gently backwards until I was lying almost completely flat.

Sleep found me easily.

.o

The sun was low over the horizon when I woke. Optimus' engine was idling quietly – well as quietly as a big rig's engine could idle. He'd parked outside a small, modest house and had materialised his human holoform and was standing outside talking to a man who looked like he was in his mid-to-late fifties. I stretched lightly and hopped out of Optimus' cab.

The snow crunched quietly underneath my heavy boots and I buried my chin into the soft folds of my roll-neck jumper. Optimus noticed me and at once a broad smile made itself known on his endearing features. He held his hand out to me. I took it and he pulled me closer, placing a protective arm around my shoulders.

"Mr Carlisle, please allow me to introduce my daughter, Hannah. Hannah, this is Mr Peter Carlisle, the landlord of the house that we are renting for the next two years."

I stepped forward. "I'm pleased to meet you Mr Carlisle." I said with what I hoped was an approximation of a smile. I took the hand he offered and shook it.

"It's a pleasure Miss Stone. Please, call me Peter; all that 'Mister' nonsense makes me feel old." He turned his attention back to Optimus.

"Right, well here are the keys. You have my cell number, so if you need anything at all, feel free to give me a ring. I gotta say Mr Stone, that's a beautiful rig you got there. I used to drive Peterbilts back in my day, shooting up and down the ice roads to and from Prudhoe Bay. My wife is glad that I've retired now – she says that property management is a much safer line of work than trucking. I still miss the open road though."

Optimus smiled warmly at Peter. "That is something that I understand fully. There are few things nicer than feeling the road underneath my tyres." Peter raised his eyebrows slightly but didn't comment.

"Anyway… _bienvenue a Mahone Bay!"_

" _Merci, beaucoup."_ Optimus replied…in perfect French.

" _Parlez-vous Français?"_

" _Oui. Je suis impatient de man temps a Mahone Bay."_

Peter smiled. " _Bon, je suis heureux. Profitez de votre sejour, M. Stone. Au Revoir!"_

" _Au Revoir Peter. Bonsoir."_

Peter waved, got into his car and drove away.

"Optimus?"

"Mhm?"

"Do you speak every language on this planet?" He cocked his head for a second before answering.

"Yes, I do."

"What is your favourite one to speak?"

"Hmm…I think Swahili is my favourite one to speak. I like how the language has an almost musical quality."

"Oh? Say something to me in Swahili."

Optimus smiled, his lips parting to show his human holoform's slightly crooked front teeth.

" _Mimi upendo kwa kila kitu kwamba mimi, moja mdogo wangu_. I love you with everything that I am, my little one."

The sound of Optimus' baritone voice caressing the Swahili words sent shivers down my spine and caused the fine hairs on the back of my neck to rise.

" _Rwyf wrth fy modd i chi hefyd."_ I whispered, my voice slightly husky.

"I'm glad you love me too little one." Optimus said with a wink. "Now, let's get these bags into the house." He hoisted my duffle bag onto his right shoulder and then scooped me up with his free arm. I wiggled in his grasp.

"Geez Optimus, you'll hurt yourself!" He walked through the unlocked front door and plopped me back down on my feet.

"You think I'll hurt myself lifting up 90 pounds of human? Pfft, you have no faith in me at all. Don't you remember the Sector Seven car?"

"Yeah, but that was your _real_ self. You just have the strength of a regular human…don't you?"

"Negative. I will admit that I am not as strong in my holoform as I am in my… _real_ body – but I possess considerable strength in this form as well. Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"No, that's okay Big Guy. I believe you."

The front door opened right into the living room, which was set out in the open-plan style. The kitchen was towards the back of the lounge and boasted an electric oven and a decent amount of work-top space.

"There are two bedrooms upstairs and one bathroom. We can use the guest bedroom as a store room for the time-being."

"You don't want to use it?" Optimus grinned and shifted his holoform from its human guise to his familiar robotic self.

"I have no need for it – I only need to recharge for eight hours once every ten solar cycles. Any flat surface will suffice." His left optic clicked when he winked. "Hey – I could even use the couch."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Can you even fit on the couch?" Optimus looked at me incredulously and dropped my bag onto the floor.

"Is that a challenge Miss Prime?" I approached him and reached up to put my hands on his blue shoulders.

"Well, let's just say that I would be very impressed if you managed to lay on the couch without any part of your body dangling off. That includes everything from the tip of your ear finials down to the tip of your toes."

"If I possessed a tongue, I would be sticking it out at you right now." He proceeded to lay face down on the couch with his arms at his sides. He laid his head down on the arm of the couch and let his feet rest on the arm at the other end. His feet dangled off of the end of the couch from his ankle joints.

He stimulated an embellished sigh and buried his face into his hands. "Argh. You win." He pushed himself up until he was in a sitting position and then patted the empty seat next to him. "Come and sit with me."

I let him pull me into the soft folds of the sofa and snuggled up against his shoulder.

"How tall are you in your holoform anyway?"

"I am six feet and eight inches in height – both in my human holoform and my robot one. That's measuring from the tip of my 'ear finials' as you call them."

"M'kay. You feel really warm – are you feeling okay?" I felt him chuckle against me.

"I warmed myself to eighty degrees Fahrenheit so that you are comfortable."

"D'aww, thanks Big Guy!" Optimus smiled and pulled me closer against him.

"Anything for you, my little one. Now – shall we get your things unpacked and put away? And once it is dark enough I will drive around to the back of the house and transform; being in my vehicular mode for over three days is beginning to get a little cramped." I offered him a guilty smile.

"I'm sorry Optimus – you've driven a heck of a long way in a relatively short amount of time." Optimus waved my concern away.

"It was I who chose the destination and to leave in the first place. Please, don't be sorry Cordelia."

"Okay. You win." His optics tilted upwards in a small smile that didn't quite reach his mouth.

"I'll carry your bag upstairs for you. Then I will see about making you an evening meal." He rose off of the couch in one fluid motion, hooking my bag over his right smoke-stack. I followed him up the stairs, which were surprisingly steep. The upstairs section of the house was pretty basic; the master bedroom was located on the right with the small guest room situated right next door. The bathroom was directly opposite the stairs and through the open door I could see a toilet, wash basin and a shower.

Optimus nudged the master bedroom's door open with his hip – a hilarious image to see because he just looked so adorably out of place with my duffle bag hooked over his smoke-stack.

The house was already equipped with all the necessary furniture. The master bedroom housed the bare necessities seen in any bedroom; a dresser, bed and nightstand. It was smaller than my room at home, but still had the potential to be a nice and cosy bedroom. Optimus deposited the bag onto the double bed and clapped his hands together, his metallic palms clanking against each other softly.

"What would you like for dinner little one? I scanned all the cupboards upon our arrival for anything that could be a potential threat and I discovered that they were fully stocked with food. I can make anything of your choice."

"Aww you don't have to cook Optimus – I can manage to cook a little pasta dish." Optimus smiled at me ruefully.

"Lia, I don't think Mr Carlisle would appreciate a kitchen fire on the first night that we moved in. Cooking for you gives me pleasure, and besides, I enjoy exploring and crafting new recipes. It is immensely entertaining to watch you sample new culinary delights."

"Tcch. Perhaps that is a good idea…though the fire was one time!" Optimus fixed me with a mock-stern glare. "Okay, twice."

Optimus suddenly scooped me up into his arms, bridal-style. My legs dangled loosely over his arm while his other arm moved to fully support my back. "What's this for?" He shrugged.

"No particular reason; I just like to be close to you I suppose. It makes me feel better to feel you warm and safe in my hands-erh…arms." I sniggered and leant my head against his shoulder. He carried me down the stairs and set me down on the beige fabric sofa. "So, what would you like for your evening meal?"

"Hmm…vegetarian Bolognese?"

"Your wish is my command." He moved over to the kitchen and started to gather together the necessary ingredients. He moved around the kitchen with easy familiarity, as if he had been cooking for his entire life and not just since he had met me.

Within half an hour he served me a steaming bowl of hot spaghetti and vegetarian mince. The flavour was deliciously even and the cheese he had sprinkled over the top melted tastily in my mouth. I finished the entire meal in less than fifteen minutes, not realizing how ravenously hungry I had been. Optimus took the plate from me with an amused expression. "So you weren't very hungry then?" I laughed and stood up to stretch. Optimus plopped the plate into the sink and turned to lean against the worktop. "I think it's dark enough outside now for me to transform. Meet me behind the house?" I nodded as his hologram vanished. I wriggled into my thick winter coat and hurried through the back door.

I heard the tell-tale noises of a Peterbilt changing shape. One long blue leg appeared in front of me, swiftly followed by the other. I walked between Optimus' feet and gave him a playful swat on his ankle.

"Did you seriously just step over the house? Geez Optimus – what happened to walking around?" He looked down, appraising me with his azure blue optics.

"No reason – but it felt good to stretch my legs. Speaking of…" He raised both of his arms into the air and raised himself up on his feet until he was almost standing on his toes alone. If possible, he became even more huge than he usually was. He gave a deep, satisfied rumble, his baritone voice reverberating in my chest. I looked up at him, amused at how human his pose looked. He proceeded to twist in various directions, finishing with a click of his neck joints.

"Better?"

"Much. Do you want to see the view? It is rather beautiful from this perspective." I nodded and stepped towards him. His hand came down to meet me, and he wrapped his fingers securely around me and lifted me into the air. He raised his hand to his shoulder and let me climb off onto it. I stood and held onto his smoke-stack. He wriggled slightly underneath me and I made my grip a little firmer.

"Sorry Big Guy, didn't mean to tickle you." He inclined his head slightly towards me so that we were leaning against each other. I straightened on his shoulder and looked out at the bay.

The black water reflected the lights of the town, and the church was the dominant feature. The water's reflection gave the town an almost ghostly and dream-like appearance. "Wow…" I could barely hear myself speak, not wanting to ruin the moment. Of course, Optimus possessed acute hearing and made out my words with no trouble at all.

"It is rather beautiful isn't it? This planet truly is beautiful…in so many ways." Optimus slowly lowered himself to sit in the powdery snow, but we were still able to see the whole of the bay even from that lowered height.

We sat out for what felt like hours, and counted the stars, as they appeared one by one.

.o

We settled in pretty quickly to life in Mahone Bay. Optimus helped me to devise a new routine and I soon found a job at the local riding stables, helping out on the yard and exercising the horses.

Our first year and a half in Mahone Bay passed without incident and life soon established a new normal. Three times a week I went to work at Bayside riding school and Optimus stayed at home and 'wrote computer programs'. Mahone Bay was an extremely small town but all of the locals had welcomed us with open arms – all of them stopping by the house occasionally to admire 'my dad's' Peterbilt 379.

I remembered the evening that Optimus had come in from doing the weekly grocery shop, a big smile plastered on his human holoform's face.

.o

" _What are you grinning about?"_

" _I think I just found you a job – only if you want it of course." That piqued my interest._

" _Oh? What kind of job?" Optimus sat down next to me on the couch, shifting from his human holoform to his robotic one._

" _You mentioned to me not long after we first met that one of your favourite past-times is horse-riding. Does my memory serve me correctly?" I nodded, unsure of the direction that the conversation was taking. "Well, when I was in the store, I happened to start talking to the lady who owns and manages the local riding school. She was saying how she needs more help around the yard, but the kids she's just hired out of school are not experienced enough to work unsupervised with horses. She says she has a temperamental mare there who kicked one of the stable hands yesterday. I mentioned that my daughter" – he winked and nudged me playfully – "has experience in the handling and riding of equines. She offered you a paid position straight away. Only three times a week for about five hours – but it will make you happy to be with the horses again, won't it?"_

" _Oh wow – that's awesome Optimus! Thank you!" I latched onto him – wrapping my arms firmly around his waist and burying my head into the deep recesses of his chest. His Spark zapped happily away in its casing, and the close contact to it caused the hair on my arms to stand up._

" _You're very welcome Cordelia. You can start tomorrow."_

.o

Optimus seemed incredibly nervous as he drove himself to Bayside riding school. He kept drumming his fingers on the steering wheel and his gear shifts weren't as smooth as they usually were.

"Are you okay Optimus? You seem…a little on edge."

"Hmm? Yes, yes I'm fine." I side-eyed him, trying to urge him to tell me what was on his mind. "Okay, okay, you got me. If I am totally honest – I am a little apprehensive at the thought of riding an equine. Perhaps I should just wait until you have finished your duties - the horses probably do not want a nervous Cybertronian bumbling around the yard. Besides - can't horses sense emotions such as nerves and fear?"

I reached over and squeezed his hand gently, trying to convey some semblance of reassurance for him.

"You're right Optimus; horses can sense those kinds of emotions - but I promise you - you have no reason to be nervous or afraid. And remember - you don't have to do anything that you don't want to do." He visibly relaxed at my words. "Besides - you managed to stay on Demolishor in Shanghai - and he was going at about seventy miles per hour at the time!" Optimus made a strange snorting noise.

"That is a wholly different situation. I was fighting to minimise human casualties. Fear has no place in battle."

"Oh Optimus - have a little faith in yourself, I know I sure do." He smiled weakly and signalled left to turn into the riding school. "Anyway - I'm not going to put you on Jubilee - she's crazy and certainly not a horse for novice riders. I'm going to introduce you to Kestrel. He's as calm as a donkey and has a really sweet temperament. He'll look after you."

"Hmm." He didn't sound entirely convinced.

We both got out of the cab and walked straight over to the tack room. I went to Kestrel's peg and retrieved his saddle, bridle and numnah. Optimus stepped forward, his hand outstretched. "Do you need me to take that for you? It looks heavy." I hoisted the saddle onto my hip and hooked the bridle through my shoulder.

"Nah – it's okay. Just follow me." I crossed the yard to get to Kestrel's stable, where he greeted me with a soft nicker. I unhooked the bolt and the kick-bolt, letting myself into his light and airy stable. He nuzzled in my pockets for titbits, but came away unsuccessful. "Sorry boy – I don't have any mints for you today!" Optimus looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Mints?"

"Mmhmm. They're kind of like…sweets for horses. Not too many of course, because it can encourage bad behaviour and bad manners, but they're nice as a treat for them every once in a while." As I spoke, Kestrel pricked his ears towards Optimus, his nostrils flaring as he took in Optimus' strange scent. "It's okay Optimus; come in and help me groom him." I handed him a dandy brush and guided his hand to Kestrel's wither. "Here – now pull the brush down quite firmly in the direction of his coat…there, good! You're doing well Optimus!"

Kestrel turned his head and nuzzled Optimus' hand, snorting his approval.

"Does that mean that he likes me?" Optimus sounded so innocent, it almost made my chest hurt to see him doing something so _normal._

"Yup!"

"Won't he dislike the fact that I am applying a considerable amount of pressure to his…erh…wither?"

"Horses prefer a firm touch to light ones – light touches tickle them and that really annoys them. It's kind of like when a fly lands on them – a light touch is an annoyance to a horse. Trust him Optimus – he'll let you know if he doesn't like what you're doing."

It was endearing to watch Optimus slowly gain confidence with Kestrel, and equally pleasing to watch Kestrel become more and more at ease with Optimus the more he brushed him.

As the minutes passed, Optimus became more confident using the brush, and even felt comfortable enough to have a go at picking out Kestrel's feet. He held the hoof-pick at a slightly awkward angle, but managed to get all of the muck out from underneath Kestrel's hooves.

"I think he's ready to be tacked up now – do you want to do it?" Optimus looked at the bridle and saddle as if they were going to attack him.

"Maybe I will just place the saddle on his back – I think the bridle is a little _too_ complicated for me to try today."

"Okay, that's fine. Just watch what I do and you should get it in no time." I moved around to Kestrel's left side and put the reins over his head so that they were resting on his neck. I 'hugged' his head with my right arm, the bridle in my right hand. I gently manipulated his mouth until he opened it and then I gently slipped the bit in. The tell-tale sounds of his teeth playing with the metal bit told me I had it in the right place. I did the throat-lash up next, checking that I could fit four fingers in between the old leather and Kestrel's cheek. Next I fastened the noseband, again checking that I could get two fingers between the leather and his face.

"Right – that's the bridle sorted, now for the numnah and the saddle!" I stepped out of the way so that Optimus could put the numnah on Kestrel's back. "Put it quite far forward, just behind his shoulders – when we put the saddle on we'll pull it back a little bit. That way, his hair won't get pushed the wrong way." Optimus did exactly what I said, and all the while Kestrel stood cooperatively still. Next he put the saddle on, making sure it was lying flat on the numnah. "Great, good job Optimus! Now, pull the girth under his belly and do it up with the straps under the saddle flap."

Optimus secured the girth and stepped back to admire his handiwork.

"Well, that was easier than I expected it to be. Is it always this easy?"

"No – not if you're tacking Jubilee up. She's **really** moody. And she doesn't seem to like men."

"Hmm."

"Don't worry – I won't take you to meet Jubilee today. Are you ready to go outside?" Optimus nodded, and I took the reins and led Kestrel from his stable to the outdoor riding paddock. The spring time sun was warm on my back, and Kestrel whickered happily as he caught sight of the other horses mulling about in the yard. Optimus shut the gate behind us, ensuring it was securely fastened before walking over to me and Kestrel.

"So…how are you planning to do this?"

"Well, I thought I would warm him up a bit first, then you can hop on if you want to? Remember; you don't have to do anything that you don't want to do." Optimus nodded, much more relaxed now than he had been upon our arrival to the yard.

"How will you mount him? Forgive me Lia…but you are so small, and Kestrel's back is exactly six feet from the ground."

"You can give me a leg up if you want, or I can use the mounting block – it's up to you." Optimus turned in the direction I gestured to and looked at the mounting block.

"That wooden box is your mounting block?" I nodded the affirmative. "It doesn't look very…sturdy. I think I will give you a leg up." He stepped forward and wrapped one long arm around my waist.

"Woah woah woah! Hang on there Optimus – here, I'll show you. I'm going to bend my left leg so it's off the ground – all you need to do is hold my knee and my ankle and _gently_ lift me up."

"Alright then – give me your leg." I placed my left leg into his waiting hands. "On the count of three?" I nodded and bounced on the ball of my right foot to get ready for the hop up. Optimus lifted me in one fluid motion and I settled into the saddle without so much as even a thud.

I put my feet in the stirrups and adjusted them accordingly. I took the reins in both hands and gently squeezed Kestrel's sides with my calves. He moved forward into an energetic walk, and I gave him his head so that he could lengthen his stride nicely. After a few laps of the paddock, I urged him into a gentle trot. I rose up and down to the rhythm of his stride and did a few ten metre circles and lots of halt-to-walk transitions. After about fifteen minutes, Kestrel was interested in the exercise and felt supple enough for Optimus to hop on. I asked Kestrel to stop with a gentle tug on the reins.

I slid off of his back and led him over to Optimus.

"Do you feel like getting on?"

"Yes – shall I use the mounting block or will the ground be sufficient?" I stifled a giggle.

"I think you're tall enough to get away with getting on from the ground. Here – hold the rains in your left hand, and put your left foot in the stirrup…there you go, now just swing yourself up into the saddle. Do you need me to tell you what to do?"

"No thank you, I downloaded the appropriate instructions from the Internet."

I watched in fascination as Optimus nudged Kestrel into a brisk trot. He took to the saddle like a natural, and shortly he and Kestrel were moving as one being. Optimus threw back his head and laughed, a care-free and natural sound that was stunningly beautiful. "Watch this little one!" Optimus sat up ram-rod straight in the saddle and brought his inside leg slightly behind the girth. In the next stride, Kestrel was cantering. The faster pace didn't throw Optimus off of balance – if anything it enhanced his riding. He and Kestrel continued for twenty minutes in this vein, alternating between different gaits to keep Kestrel's mind stimulated.

Optimus brought Kestrel back to a walk and walked a few times around the paddock to cool down. I walked with them, placing a hand on Kestrel's warm, grey neck. "That was absolutely fantastic; I understand now why you love to ride so much. What an exhilarating experience!"

Optimus stopped Kestrel at the gate to the paddock and hopped off. Within the hour, Kestrel had been untacked, groomed and fed and Optimus and I were on our way home.

When we got back to the house, Peter was waiting for us in his beat up Chevy pickup truck. As Optimus rolled to a stop, Peter got out of his truck and approached us. His thick black hair was slightly scruffy and his pretty ice blue eyes looked inquisitive.

"Hey guys! I'm here just to give you a piece of mail – it was delivered to my place for some unknown reason. It's addressed to the both of you…so I'll let you two decide who opens it." He handed a plain white envelope to Optimus and started back towards his truck. "See ya round!"

Optimus and I waved until he disappeared around the corner, and then went into the house. Optimus shifted to his robot self and handed me the letter.

"Here, you open it Lia, I'll get your dinner started." He handed me the envelope and I slipped my thumbnail under the tab to open it.

A thick piece of posh paper was inside, almost like parchment paper. I unfolded it to reveal the Great Seal of the United States of America at the top. My heart jumped into my throat as I read what the letter said.

 _Dear Optimus and Cordelia Prime,_

 _I am writing to you on official Government business, and request your presence at Cemetery Wind's new base in Colorado at your earliest convenience. I have been trading correspondence with the new Secretary of Defence, and we are both of the opinion that rekindling the Autobot alliance with the American Military is in_ _ **everybody's**_ _best interests._

 _Due to the delicate nature of these circumstances, I kindly ask that you tell no one of my correspondence to you. We are still in the early stages of rebuilding our relationship with the Autobots, and nothing can jeopardise that._

 _Please come to the following coordinates;_

 _ **36.0553° N, 112.1218° W**_

 _Cemetery Wind personnel will meet you upon your arrival and escort you to me._

 _I look forward to meeting you both._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Harold Attinger._

"Optimus…"

Optimus was at my side in seconds, gently taking the letter from my shaking hands. He read it quickly and pinched his nose between a thumb and forefinger.

"These coordinates are for the Grand Canyon in Colorado."

"Are we…are we going to meet them?"

"I fear we must, Cordelia. They have us between a rock and a hard place."

"How did they find us?" Optimus sighed.

"I don't know Lia…I don't know."


	8. Chapter 8

It took Optimus less than a minute to spring into action. I followed him wordlessly around the house, watching as he retrieved my duffle bag from the bottom of my wardrobe and started to pack it full of clothes, toiletries and other road trip essentials.

"I need to go into town to refuel and then I will purchase some non-perishable foodstuffs for you; for the journey. I would like to try and get to our destination as quickly as possible – something about this correspondence is making me feel very uneasy."

I nodded.

"Sure Optimus, I mean you know what is best. I trust you." He gave me a small half smile and brushed his mouth plates along my hairline. He carried my bag down the stairs and put it down by the front door. "What about Mr Carlisle?" I asked, running a hand through my hair.

Optimus paused for a second and then said, "Don't you worry about that Lia, and the house is already paid for for the amount of time that we wish to rent it. I have sent an email to Mr Carlisle detailing the reason for our absence. As far as the general public is concerned, we are going on a long holiday. I sent the same email to the riding school."

"You've done all of this in the space of twenty-five minutes?" Optimus nodded, somewhat smugly.

"Mhm. You know my central processing unit is many times faster than even the most advanced computer at NASA." I shoved him playfully and then opened the front door. "Madam, your carriage awaits."

"Oh my God Optimus; you are such a goofball."

He said nothing but graciously helped me up into the cab of his real body. Once I was settled in the passenger's seat, Optimus deactivated his holoform and materialised once more inside the truck. He put it into first gear and pulled away smoothly from the house. I turned around to look as it disappeared behind the brow of the hill, wondering how many homes I would have to leave behind in my lifetime.

.o

The drive to the Grand Canyon took just under two days, due to the fact that we only stopped a handful of times. Optimus had maintained a steady speed, of course always remaining within the legal speed limit.

As we entered the national park that was the Grand Canyon, I felt my stomach begin to do somersaults. Optimus noticed too, because he grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently.

"Easy little one. It will be alright." I looked at him incredulously.

"How did you know I was feeling nervous?" He tapped his nose playfully.

"Your cortisol levels have risen abruptly, as has your heart-rate." I said nothing but smiled at him and then looked out of the window. The midday sun was hot and blaring, beating down unforgivingly on the orange landscape. The canyon itself was breath-taking, with mile upon mile upon **mile** of desert rock accompanied by a blue ribbon of river. The road that Optimus was travelling down gradually became rougher and rougher until it was nothing more than a dirt track.

The national park was eerily silent, save for the thunderous noise of the river gushing far below. The weather was the hot and sticky kind, making my thin t-shirt stick to my back. Fortunately, Optimus' air conditioner kept the worst of the heat off of me. I sat forward in my seat, resting my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands.

"These ARE the coordinates, right?" I asked, looking out of the window for any tell-tale signs of the presence of government agents. I could see none. Optimus' low baritone rumbled over the radio speakers.

"Affirmative. These are the coordinates that were provided in the written correspondence from Attinger. I'm picking up heat signatures just ahead." As if summoned by Optimus' words, eight burly men emerged from behind a large cluster of rocks. They were all dressed identically; all in black. Black combat trousers paired with black army boots, accompanied by a black polo shirt and bullet proof vests. Optimus rolled to a slow halt and turned his engine off as two more men emerged. They were different from the other men. One, a man with a receding hairline was dressed in a plain black suit, blue shirt and a mustard yellow tie. His blue eyes were a startling contrast to his silvery-grey hair.

The suited man definitely gave the impression that he was someone in charge. The man that accompanied him has that same air of importance, though not of the same level. He was dressed in the same style of clothes that the other men were dressed in; black combat trousers and a polo shirt with army boots. The only difference was his long leather trench coat. He appraised Optimus coldly from underneath his dark aviator sunglasses.

I slowly unbuckled my seatbelt, feeling a faint puff of air over my arm as Optimus' holoform dissipated. The passenger door clicked open and I jumped out onto the red dusty ground. Beside me, Optimus started to transform in a cacophony of noises and shapes. He did not uncurl to his full twenty-eight-foot height, but instead knelt down on one knee. His left hand moved to curl loosely around me; pulling me ever so slightly closer to him. The man in the trench coat removed his sunglasses.

The older man beside him spoke.

"Optimus Prime, Miss Cordelia." He inclined his head first to Optimus and then to me. "My name is Harold Attinger, and I am head of operations for a secret government organisation known as Cemetery Wind. We have replaced the Nonbiological Extraterrestrial Species Team, also known as 'NEST'. We've asked you to come here so that we can be sure of your intentions."

I looked up at Optimus to try and gauge his reaction. He raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"'Determine our intentions'? Why Mr Attinger, I can assure you that my loyalty and that of my Autobots has always been with, and **will** always be with humanity." His voice was tense, cautious of the situation at hand. Attinger's face remained neutral. There was a minute of tense silence.

"And what about her?" He said, jerking his chin towards me arrogantly. Optimus ground his lip plates together softly.

"Mr Attinger, she has a name. Cordelia can speak for herself." Attinger turned his icy blue eyes on to me. I gripped on to Optimus' fingers a little more tightly.

"You don't need to worry about **my** loyalty Mr Attinger. I am loyal to Optimus and humanity." This seemed to take Attinger by surprise.

"In that order?"

"Excuse me?" His question confused me.

"Do your loyalties lie in that order? First to Optimus Prime and only **then** to humanity?"

"What? Why does it matter? I'm loyal to both."

"It matters a great deal. Let me put it simply for you, since you don't seem to understand. Will you ever forsake Optimus Prime?" Attinger's eyes travelled from my face, down my body and then slowly back up again. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip. Optimus' hold on me tightened ever so slightly. I had just taken a breath to answer Attinger when I was whisked high into the air. Optimus held me carefully in the palm of his right hand; keeping his left one free. He rose to his full height, and suddenly the men accompanying Attinger and the other man had armed themselves. They were equipped with automatic rifles, all of which were trained on Optimus.

At once Optimus brought his left hand up to cover the right. In the darkness, the only light I could see was the thin lines of sunlight filtering in through the small gaps between Optimus' huge fingers.

"That is ENOUGH." Optimus did not shout, or even raise his voice, but the tone of his voice made his meaning clear; our discussion with Attinger was over. His voice reverberated through his hands and into my ribs.

"Easy men. Lower your weapons." I heard the click of multiple guns being lowered, and Optimus slowly lifted his hand away from me, letting the sunlight in once more. Attinger had removed his glasses, looking up at Optimus with ill-disguised greed. "Calling you here was more of a…formality. We need to meet with you at our current base of operations in Mexico City." Optimus growled softly.

"Then why did you summon us here?" Attinger smiled.

"We just wanted to see if you would turn up. Now that we know you will, we can rest safe in the knowledge that you will… _grace_ us with your presence." He started to retreat to a helicopter I had not noticed before. "Be at the coordinates I am supplying to you by first light." The helicopter chugged into the sky, levelling as it met Optimus' height. We watched it grow smaller and smaller, shrinking until it was nothing more than a tiny dot on the horizon.

Optimus sighed and placed me on the ground, folding back into a Peterbilt.

"Come on little one, we need to get going."

.o

The sun was hanging low over the horizon as we emerged into Mexico City. Optimus' holoform sat low and hunched over the steering wheel; the waves of tension exuding from him were almost palpable. He scratched at his stubble; his holoform even replicating the sound of hard bristly hair against skin perfectly.

The morning sun was warm on my bare skin as Optimus manoeuvred through the cramped streets of Mexico City. The temperature on his dash read 28 degrees Celsius and it wasn't even past 6:30 in the morning. Optimus had driven through the afternoon and last night to bring us to our destination on the outskirts of Mexico City; an abandoned car factory.

Optimus' airbrakes hissed as he rolled to a halt. He switched the ignition off and there was no sound for a few seconds except the quiet click of Optimus' engine as it cooled down. His holoform flickered as he shifted from human to robot.

"I am detecting Attinger's heat signature within the factory." He turned to face me and took my hands in his. "I will say this Cordelia; I do not trust these gentlemen and I am going to enter these…discussions with the utmost caution. I am going to ask that you do exactly what I tell you, when I tell you to do it. Do you understand?" My face must have betrayed my nerves, because he smiled at me gently and leaned forward to plant a metallic kiss on my forehead. "It's okay little one - I'm not angry with you, I just want to keep you safe." I nodded at him, reassured. "Right, I'm going to transform now. If things get nasty in there I need to be able to defend both of us."

I opened his door and slipped out onto the hot tarmac. My camisole was sticking to my back and the fine baby-like hairs on the back of my neck were damp.

The familiar noises of Optimus' transformation filled my ears and I craned my neck back to look at him as he rose to his full twenty-eight foot height. He placed one hand on the roof of the factory and rose up and up until he was stretched out as much as he could be. His joints clicked and hissed as they were flexed for the first time in over twenty-four hours. He looked almost comical adopting such a human pose.

"Mmm. That is a very nice feeling after being in my vehicle form for so long." I smiled at him and made my way over to one of his huge feet. His ankle joints were dusty from our long hours on the road. I leaned against his ankle, my head barely brushing the top of the joint. My mouth was suddenly dry and the trail mix I had eaten a few hours previously threatened to make reappearance. He looked down at me, as always seeming to sense when I was feeling nervous or apprehensive. His immense metal hand came down towards me and rested palm up on the floor. I stepped on and assumed my normal position on his hand with my arm hooked around his thumb. He raised me up to eye level and from the raised point of view I could see everything within the vicinity of the factory. About five hundred yards away from Optimus' feet was a flat-nosed, rusty truck that had certainly seen better days. I pointed to it.

"Look, that truck could be your grandfather Optimus." He looked over to it and smiled ruefully.

"Hmm. I believe that is the first flat-nosed truck I have seen since landing on Earth. They certainly are unusual." I sat back against his fingers and traced the scratches on his silver palm absent-mindedly. He walked over to the large doors and gave two loud raps on the wall with his knuckles. There was no answer for a few seconds and then the doors started to scrape open.

"You're gonna have to help us open the doors erh…Mr Prime. They're rusted shut quite badly." If Optimus was annoyed by this, he didn't show it.

"Apologies little one, I will need both hands to open the door." He carefully transferred me to his left shoulder and grasped the sliding door with both of his huge hands. I watched the springs and coils serving as his 'biceps' tighten as he opened the door. I never failed to be in awe of the titan-like strength that he possessed, and was always equally in awe of how gentle he was with me and the rest of human kind. The door scraped slowly open, needing every ounce of Optimus' strength. His hand came up to meet me and I scooted myself back into it. His fingers came higher than usual and I tucked myself up so that I could fit into their shape more easily. He bent low as he entered the building, cupping one hand over me as he did so.

It was ominously silent inside.

I poked my head out from over the top of his fingers. The building was completely empty, save for an old conveyor belt and a rusty cherry-picker. Attinger and Savoy were stood side by side on a scissor lift, their expressions unreadable.

Optimus approached them, but stopped at a respectful distance. My grip on his fingers tightened. Savoy removed his aviators and eyed Optimus and I with the same cold stare that he had given us at the Grand Canyon. Attinger remained motionless. Optimus' audial covers spun furiously.

"Optimus, Cordelia. Thank you for making this…journey so that we may continue our discussions."

Optimus shifted his weight.

"I am afraid Mr Attinger that I do not understand the purpose of continuing our discussions. Cordelia and I have made our intentions perfectly clear. I will personally oversee the reconstruction of the most heavily damaged areas of Chicago. The Wreckers were among Cybertron's most elite-"

"BUT WE'RE NOT ON CYBERTRON, ARE WE?! **YOU** are singlehandedly responsible for the loss of over three thousand **HUMAN LIVES!** You have caused **millions** of dollars' worth of damage to human property, and then you have the _nerve_ to run away like the coward you are when you learned of William Lennox and Robert Epps' respective arrests. You are **SCUM** and you and your _kind_ are **not** welcome here anymore."

My mouth fell open and Optimus' fingers closed over me protectively. I looked up at Optimus. He was staring straight at Attinger, his lip plates subtly grinding together.

"Mr Attinger, I-"

"Shut the FUCK up, you useless piece of **shit!** " Savoy _exploded._ "My sister DIED in that war; where were you when **she** needed you?! No doubt worrying about the whore." Savoy locked his eyes with mine. "Yeah, I know all about you. Pregnant by your daddy – I bet you like it hard and rough huh? HUH?!"

My breath caught in my throat and hot tears threatened to fall. Optimus made no effort to disguise the furious growl that sounded from his vocoder.

"ENOUGH!" Optimus stomped into the ground so hard that he left a crater in the concrete that was the perfect shape of his footprint. Attinger and Savoy nearly toppled over on their scissor lift. "NOBODY is more sorry than I about the loss of human life. Each death weighs heavily on my Spark, and I mourn each one. Lisa Savoy was **not** an exception." Savoy was speechless. A thick vein was pulsing in his forehead and a thin layer of perspiration had formed on his face.

"Don't. You. Ever. Say. Her. Name. Again."

Attinger smiled.

"We don't _need_ you or your kind anymore, Optimus Prime. Now, please make your way outside. We have your voiceless scout waiting for you." Optimus' optics widened and Attinger and Savoy descended from the scissor lift and excited the building. Optimus looked at me, and for the first time I saw a hint of fear in his eyes.

"I am not taking any risks with you Cordelia. Remember what I said." I nodded as his hand came up once more to cup over me. I felt him bend low again as he made his way out of the building. His fingers were clamped so tightly together that not even the thinnest crack of sunlight could penetrate. "Where is Bumble- ARGH!" I heard Optimus begin to shout as my whole world was literally turned upside down.

Light flooded my vision as Optimus' hands disappeared from beneath me. I tried to relax my body into the fall and roll into the landing as Optimus had taught me in my 'self-defence' lessons. The landing came hard and fast, and my right arm gave a painful twinge as I landed on it.

I was on my feet straight away and looking for Optimus. He was about twenty yards away, on his hands and knees. Pieces from the inside of his chest were on the ground and he clutched at his left shoulder. His head snapped up and I saw his optics rapidly scanning the area. Our gazes met and he was on his feet in a second. He was running straight for me, dodging the bullets that were beginning to rain down.

By the time he reached me he was already transformed and he didn't need to tell me twice to get in. I threw myself into the driver's seat and he tore past the old factory at top speed.

"My God Optimus, are you hurt?"

"It's nothing I can't handle. Are you injured?"

"No. At least I don't think so. What the Hell is happening?"

"I don't know Lia, Bumblebee wasn't there. It was a trap. Attinger and Savoy just left in a chopper. Hold tight to the steering wheel; I'm going to scan that Marmon truck. It should alleviate some of my injuries." No sooner had he said these words, his interior was changing. The smooth leather of his seats was turning cracked and worn, the long nose of the Peterbilt shrinking until it was nothing. His red and blue paint flecked off to reveal the dirty and smeared paint job of the Marmon.

"Lockdown is here. We must lose him. Now." I grew confused at the name.

"Who is Lockdown?"

"Lockdown is a Cybertronian bounty hunter. He does not align himself with Autobots or Decepticons."

In the rear-view mirror, I caught a glimpse of a sleek grey Lamborghini. A driverless Lamborghini.

Optimus' tyres squealed in protest as he increased his speed, heading for the rural desert outside of the city. A missile flew past us, swiftly followed by another. Black armoured cars were flanking Optimus from both sides, quickly closing in.

"Lia, I'm going to have to transform." The interior of the truck broke apart, and I was being cradled against Optimus' chest. He rolled, all the while keeping me safe from the jarring impact. He stuck one leg out, jamming it into one of the armoured cars, causing it to flip onto its roof. He transformed back into his vehicle mode and I was once more strapped in tight to the driver's seat. I grabbed onto the wheel, keeping my eye on Lockdown.

"Optimus, Lockdown is slowing down!" The only response from Optimus was a growl and the strain of his engine as the needle on the speedometer struggled past 115mph. In the wing mirror, Lockdown's face began to shift and mutate. In place of his facial features was a huge gun. "Shit Optimus! His face is a _gun!_ " Suddenly there was the dull boom of an explosion behind us and then we were rolling.

The driver's window broke as Optimus did a 360 roll – still in vehicle mode. The glass sliced my bare arms, flecking my white camisole top with scarlet blood. No sooner had Optimus rolled back onto his tyres, the armoured cars on either side of him began firing Gatling guns. There was a musical tinkling as the glass shattered under the rain of bullets.

"Cordelia, get into the sleeper now!" The seatbelt holding me to the seat snapped out of the buckle and I scrambled over the gear stick and into Optimus' sleeper. The door slammed shut behind me. "Lay down flat on the ground and cover your head!" I did as I was told, hiding my head under both arms. "I'm going to ram them, it's the only way!"

"Do what you need to do!" There was an ear-splitting racket of metal against metal as Optimus collided with one of the armoured cars. The gunfire stopped momentarily.

"I flipped the car onto its roof. I hope to Primus that I did not hurt the humans inside."

"Don't worry about them Optimus! Just drive!" The gunfire resumed at the same time as the surface beneath Optimus' tyres became considerably bumpier. Bullets flew through the sleeper like demonic bees. There was another low rumbling and I was flung to the side as Optimus executed a handbrake turn.

"Lockdown is gone, but I can't transform. One of his missiles is lodged in my T-cog. If I transform I risk it going off – and killing us both. I think- ARGH!" Optimus' cry of pain came at the same time as we rolled again. This time we rolled twice before Optimus came to rest on his side. The barrage of bullets sounded again, and Optimus groaned. "Argh, I can't get the momentum I need to roll back over. I-AHH! STOP! I MEAN YOU NO HARM! WE ARE ALLIES!" Optimus' desperate words sliced through my soul like a thousand knives.

His holoform appeared next to me, flickering badly. His face was in a pained grimace, his lips pulled tight. He motioned for me to scoot over to him. I moved myself into his waiting embrace where his arms tightened around me and he used himself as a shield to protect me from the bullets ricocheting through the sleeper.

"They're going to ram us – I will be able to drive again. I have a plan." I struggled to turn around in his arms. His face was fearful and angry at the same time.

"Optimus, I love you. Do you hear me? I love you." His cyan blue optics focused on my eyes, fear and anger giving way to tenderness. He planted a clumsy kiss on my forehead.

"I love you too little one. I love you with everything that I am." Once more there was an impact on Optimus' roof, and then we were the right way up again. Optimus' tyres spun and there were shouts of pain from outside. "I sprayed them with energon. My main line has been severed. My repair nanites will repair the worst of the damage, but we will need to rendezvous with Ratchet. My injuries – argh – are quite severe." As he spoke, he shook as he was driving. "It's okay Lia, I shot out their tyres. They cannot follow us now. I am sorry that I had to spray them with energon, it will burn their skin badly."

"Optimus, they tried to kill you! Who cares about them?" Optimus stood, ducking low as his head easily touched the top of the sleeper. As he helped me up, my right wrist twinged painfully. He didn't fail to notice my sharp intake of breath.

"What happened?" He half carried me through to the front of the truck, sitting me down in the passenger's seat.

"Nothing – I just landed in it awkwardly, that's all." Optimus said nothing but took my arm in his hands. "Look, can you drive like this?" He looked at me incredulously.

"Cordelia, please do not worry. I can drive and tend to you at the same time with no problems whatsoever. Now, I'm going to scan your arm for fractures, hold still."

The fine hairs on my arm rose as Optimus started the scan, his eyes taking on a slightly glazed expression.

"Ahh, you've torn your pronator quadratus. You'll need a splint." He lightly punched the glove box and retrieved a small green first aid box. He unwrapped a bandage and wrapped it tightly around my wrist. "I am afraid that must do until we are able to purchase something more suitable."

"Optimus, we can't just walk into any old shop – our names are probably on every wanted list on the planet by now!" Optimus settled into the driver's seat.

"You make a good point – we must take precautions." He pressed a button on the CBS radio and began to speak. "Calling all Autobots, we are under targeted attack! Cease all contact with humans." He pressed the button again. "One thing that is in our favour is that Attinger and Savoy do not know of our aliases. I am going to drive us to Texas."

"Texas?"

"Mhm. It is important that we put as much distance as possible between us and Cemetery Wind – **especially** Lockdown."

"Can you manage a drive all that way? I mean, you're hurt really bad Op."

"I know little one, I know. But we have no choice Lia. If we are to survive, we must move. I must get you to safety."

.o

By some unknown miracle, we made it back into the United States without being questioned. After we got through the border and into Texas, Optimus didn't stop for a full fifteen hours. The drive was hot and uncomfortable and Optimus struggled more and more with each passing hour. He was hacking into all the cameras that we passed, erasing any evidence of our presence on them.

Dusk was falling as we entered Paris, Texas. It was a sleepy town that had probably been full of life in the fifties and sixties, but now it was full of boarded up shop fronts.

"There's…an abandoned…movie theatre around…the block. We can…rest there." Optimus almost sounded out of breath, and his movements were becoming slow and sluggish.

We rounded a corner, and sure enough there was an abandoned movie theatre. Optimus drove around to the back of it where one wall had collapsed, leaving behind a large pile of rubble. Optimus drove over it, the uneven surface causing the shells in Optimus' cab to move and rattle.

At last he stopped and turned off his engine. His holoform materialised next to me and led me through to the sleeper. He laid me down on the small bed, before getting on behind me.

"Optimus – are you okay?"

"Yes…we just need to…rest for a while."

I curled into the safety of his arms and let sleep claim me.


	9. Chapter 9

I awoke to being bounced around in Optimus' sleeper. His holoform was nowhere to be seen.

"Optimus?" I half-whispered, my throat dry from sleep.

"Easy little one, I'm here." Large metal hands came to rest on my shoulders and I let out a breath that I didn't know I'd been holding.

"What's happening?" Optimus looked nervous.

"I am unsure, but it looks as if I've been bought." He kept his voice low, but bent down so that I could hear him properly. "I am being towed. To where I do not know."

"What will we do?"

"I don't know little one, if I drive away I risk alerting the authorities to our location and I can't transform because of this missile lodged in my T-cog."

I swallowed loudly. "So, we just wait?"

"I am afraid we just wait."

.o

Hours went by, how many I wasn't sure of. Optimus had discerned that we were in a barn on the outskirts of Paris, Texas. I began to get hungry and Optimus grew more and more stressed with each passing day. I heard goings on outside; the man who had towed Optimus exclaiming his predicament. I hadn't been to the toilet in over forty-eight hours and my bladder was beginning to feel the strain. I curled up on the worn mattress in Optimus' sleeper, trying to think of _anything_ except going to the toilet. There was a bottle of stale water in Optimus' cab and I took sparing sips from it – not wanting to add more than necessary to my already over-filled bladder. When it got so painful that it brought tears to my eyes, Optimus materialised his holoform. It was flickering badly; his transponder having been damaged in the ambush.

"This is ridiculous Cordelia – you need to relieve yourself!"

"Where?" I half-cried. "There's nowhere to go. I can't go outside – I can't risk setting of that stupid robot dog alarm that guy's got!" Optimus smiled a little and produced a black bucket.

"You can go in this."

" **No** way. I'm not peeing _in_ you Optimus – it will stink your cab out!" Optimus fixed me with a stern look and tilted my chin up with a finger so that I was looking at him.

"I don't care. **Your** comfort and safety is what I care about. Are you going to make me say it?"

"Say what?"

"Please relieve yourself in the bucket Cordelia." Hints of a small smile were playing around the edges of his optics. I rolled my eyes at him playfully and took the bucket from him. "I'll erh…give you some privacy." There was a faint puff of air as his holoform dissipated. I rolled down my jeans and underwear and hovered over the bucket. There were a good few seconds of nothing and then my bladder started to empty. It was the most blissful feeling I'd ever had – the feeling of my bladder shrinking back down to its normal size. After what seemed like an age, I drip dried and pulled my knickers and jeans back up.

"Oh my God – that was amazing." I said as Optimus reappeared. He smiled at me and sat down on the small bed.

"May I make an observation?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"You can say whatever you like Optimus."

"It appears to me that the female human body is ill-suited for urinating whilst standing." Had we been in any other situation, I would have laughed. We were locked in a random barn in the middle of Texas, and Optimus could only think to comment on the evolution of the female body. I stretched, using Optimus' shoulder as an anchor point for balance.

I caught a reflection of myself in Optimus' now tiny door mirrors. My usually auburn hair was dark with grime and filth, and my face was flecked with desert sand and dirt. Even my eyes didn't look as green as they usually were. I stifled a yawn.

"What's the time?" Optimus stood, his holoform flickering.

"O-four-hundred. I must recharge, and you need rest as well. Come on little one, we shall see if morning brings any changes."

.o

When dawn broke, there was a rattling sound coming from outside. I froze. A male voice was coming closer. I didn't dare speak. Optimus' holoform flickered furiously, but he stepped in front of me. The male voice spoke again.

"Come on you old wreck. Judgement day."

I sat frozen in fear for over an hour, listening as the man who had towed Optimus tinkered about. Optimus didn't speak and neither did I. The only movements from Optimus came in the form of silent grimaces as the man pulled and tugged. Suddenly, Optimus' voice filled my ears.

"Calling all—calling all Autobots!"

Optimus' optics widened.

"He has accessed the last transmission I issued from my communications link. He knows what I am." His voice was tense and low as he gathered me protectively in his arms.

The man wasted no time in telling the people who he apparently lived with about his discovery.

"Look! Look what happens when I hook it back up to a working battery!" Optimus' message played again. "I don't think it's a truck at all; I think we just found a Transformer!" My blood turned to ice in my veins. I exchanged terrified looks with Optimus.

The man ventured outside to speak with two other people. Optimus informed me of what they were saying in low, deep tones.

"They're arguing about whether or not to turn me over to the government – there is talk of a monetary reward." He listened for a few more moments. "The male who towed me wants to see if his suspicions about me are correct. If they are, then they will make the call." My mouth went dry.

"Optimus, we have to stop them! They'll kill you!" I started to hyperventilate. Optimus' large hands came up to hold my face.

"Shh. Easy little one, it will be okay. I will keep you safe, I promise."

"Godamnit Optimus! I don't care about **me**! I can't lose you again – I can't! I-" He suddenly placed his fingers on my lips, silencing me. Suddenly, the truck was jolted with such force that I fell backwards. There was an exclamation from the man outside, a small popping sound, and then absolute chaos.

Optimus transformed, his movements slow and staccato like. He reached for his gun and struggled to get to his feet, knocking over tables, work benches and tools with his huge hands. A dark-haired man jumped back and caught a blonde girl by the arms, stopping her from coming any closer. Optimus pushed me behind one of his feet as pieces of his chest fell onto the ground. "Argh, I'll kill you!" Optimus managed to pull out his canon and aimed it at the man clumsily, unable to support the full weight of the weapon. I hung onto his ankle as if my life depended on it, stupidly trying to hold him up. "I'll kill you! Stay back!" Optimus' voice was fearful and angry, and he was in full attack mode.

The dark-haired man was holding his hands up in surrender.

"Woah! Don't shoot! DON'T SHOOT!" I locked eyes with a man who had curly blonde hair that fell to his jaw line. His eyes widened as he began to run towards me.

"Call 911! He's got a girl—argh!" Optimus slammed him in the head with the end of his canon and emptied it of the last shell.

"Easy, human." He growled as he gently nudged me further back. The dark-haired man approached, but made sure that the young blonde woman stayed where she was.

"Lucas, stay there, just calm down, don't move. Easy, he's not gonna hurt us." The blonde-haired man was laying on the floor, clutching his head. He got up slowly, a giant red welt already beginning to form on his forehead.

"Weapons systems damaged." Optimus lowered the gun, but kept me shielded behind his leg.

"A missile hit your engine, and we took it out of you. You're hurt really bad. I'm just trying to help you. You're in my home now, I'm an engineer. My name is Cade Yeager." Optimus relaxed at these words, lowering his gun completely.

"Cade, I am in your debt. My name is Optimus Prime. My Autobots – they're in danger! Argh!" He collapsed onto his knees as his right ear finial completely detached from his head and fell to the ground. He coughed up desert sand and dust, trying to clear his air intakes. "I need to go, I need to go now."

"How far do you think you're gonna get? Sweetie, come here, he needs our help." Cade Yeager motioned to the blonde girl who hurried over to him. "What happened to you?"

"An ambush, a trap, set by humans." Optimus doubled over in another fit of coughing. "I escaped and took this form."

The blonde woman spoke up, her blonde hair catching the afternoon sunlight. "But you're on our side, why would humans hurt you?"

"They were not alone. My Autobots can repair me." He rose to his feet, using the rafters in the barn as a support.

"Yeah, if you can reach them." Cade bent down and picked Optimus' ear finial up off the ground. "How about me?"

Optimus eyed Cade speculatively. "Can I trust you, Cade Yeager?" Cade looked from Optimus, to me and then to the blonde-haired girl.

"Yes, you can trust me. Tessa, come a little closer sweetheart." The blonde girl came forward, her nervous eyes darting from me and then to Optimus. "This is my daughter, Tessa Yeager, and this is my assistant, Lucas Flannery." The man with the curly hair waved. Optimus knelt once more and encouraged me forward. I walked around his legs and came to stand in front of him.

"Good afternoon to you all. This is my charge, Cordelia Prime."

"Hi." My voice came out barely louder than a whisper, but both Yeagers and Lucas smiled at me kindly. Optimus lowered himself to sit on the floor and curled his hand loosely around me, keeping me close. I hung onto his thumb.

"Tessa, would you go and get some spare clothes for Cordelia please? Lucas, please go into town and get me a clamp, metal sheets that can be cut and a new blow torch – one of the big ones. Pick up some diesel as well please." Both Lucas and Tessa hurried out of the barn, shutting the door quietly behind them. Cade grabbed a nearby ladder that was on wheels. It had railings on either side and a platform on top for someone to stand on. He wheeled it over to Optimus, stopping just in front of him. Cade looked at me and went over to a small fridge. He retrieved a bottle of diet coke from it, cracked the lid off on the corner of a table and handed it to me.

"Here, Tessa makes me get diet; she says the real stuff is too sugary 'for someone of my age'. Cheek – I'm only thirty-six years old! Anyway, drink up kid."

"Thank you, Mr Yeager." I said, taking the bottle from him.

"Oh just call me Cade, everybody else does."

I smiled shyly at him. "Thanks Cade." He returned the smile and then his face changed into an expression of realisation.

"Hey, when did you last eat?"

I looked up at Optimus, unsure of the answer.

"She last ate three days ago, Cade. Would it be too much trouble for her to have some nourishment?"

Cade slapped his worn leather apron. "Of course! Wait right here – I'll go get ya sumthin', and with that he ran out of the barn. It seemed that the mere mention of food was all that was needed to make my stomach rumble. It was a long and thunderous rumble, and caused Optimus to smile a little for the first time in days.

"Are you feeling alright little one? You're not feeling faint?" Optimus tilted his head as he spoke.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't realise how hungry I was until just now." His index finger came up and carefully traced the outline of my jaw. "How are **you**?" Optimus stretched a little and grimaced.

"I have been in better shape – let's just keep it at that." His finger moved from my face down to my arm. He grasped it very gently between a thumb and forefinger, examining it carefully. "Hmm, are you able to remove the bandage? I would like to see if you have bruised." I hurried to remove it, wincing as I did so. The dirty white of the dressing rolled back to reveal a deep, inky bruise. It was dark blue and black in colour, and my wrist was slightly swollen. "Ahh, you definitely need a splint and a sling. I will ask Cade to get his friend to purchase them. Can you make a fist?"

I tried slowly to clench my fingers into a fist, but pain shot up my arm. "No – it's no good. Not until that muscle starts to knit back together anyway." He pressed gently down on it with the tip of his huge finger.

"Hmm, it is swollen as well." At that moment, both Tessa and Cade re-entered the barn.

"Here you go kid. I didn't know what you liked, so I got you a little of everything." He handed me a plate full of food. There was a cheese sandwich, a steak sandwich, potato salad, ribs and a corn on the cob. I went for the potato salad first, trying to remember not to shovel it in like a complete animal. I finished it in record time and then attacked the cheese sandwich. My stomach rumbled again as food entered it after more than three days without it. When I finished, there was a small but definite lump in my abdomen.

"Thank you so much Mr Yeag-Cade, that was amazing."

Cade shrugged.

"I wasn't about to see you go hungry kid. What's mine is yours an' all that jazz." He smiled at me and ascended the ladder and started to look at Optimus' opened chest with a torch. Tessa approached me.

"I've got some clothes for you – you're welcome to change in my room if you like. I got the hot water ready if you wanted a shower." I looked at her properly for the first time, taking in her appearance. She had soft honey-blonde hair which fell in loose waves to just past her shoulders. She had full, plump lips complimented by high cheekbones and pale blue eyes. She looked so young, and she reminded me a little of myself when I had first met Optimus. Optimus looked down at me encouragingly.

"Go on Lia, I'll still be here when you get back. But – just be safe." He reached into his chest and pulled out something small and black with a lot of difficulty and pained gasps. On the tip of his finger was my old baseball cap. "Put this on. You never know who could be watching this place." I reached up to take it from him and placed it securely on my head. Tessa turned to leave the barn and I followed, making sure the door was firmly shut behind me. Tessa led me across a large patch of grass, past a bench swing towards a traditional American farmhouse.

"Woah! This house is beautiful!" Tessa looked back over her shoulder and grinned at me.

"Thanks – it's not much but it's home." She held open the screen door for me and I stepped over the threshold, wiping my shoes on the weathered door mat. "My room is just upstairs – I'll show you." I followed her up the wooden staircase and into a door off the left-hand side of the stairs. Hers was a bright and airy room with an American flag hanging from the window. She had polaroid pictures of herself posing with friends and Cade up on the wall. There was a desk by the window that held an Apple Macbook and a photo of a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and freckles. She was clutching a small girl who had curly blonde hair and pale blue eyes. They were crouching in tall grass, the sunlight bright behind them.

Tessa put the bundle of clothes down on the big double bed and fumbled inside her wardrobe for something. She handed me two towels.

"Thank you, Tessa, this means a lot."

"No problem – you're welcome." She gave me a smile and then shut the door behind her. I went over to the bundle of clothes and began to sift through them. I chose a pair of faded blue skinny jeans with a few rips in each leg and a plain black vest top which I paired with a blue checked shirt. Tessa had even remembered to put out a fresh bra and knickers. I checked the bra size; a 24B, just one size bigger than me.

I tucked the clothes under my arm and went into Tessa's en-suite bathroom. In it was a toilet, sink and a stand-up shower. I put the clothes on the closed toilet lid and then began to remove my own. My arm twinged painfully as I removed my camisole and bra, so I kept it tucked against my chest. I put the water on in the shower to give it a chance to warm up while I removed my jeans and shoes. I stepped under the water and let it trickle down my body. Over a week's worth of dust, sand and grime was washed off my body, turning the water a dirty reddish-brown colour. I worked up a thick lather of shampoo in my hair, relishing in the fresh smell and the feeling of bubbles. The water relaxed my tense muscles and soothed my frayed nerves. It felt _so_ good to be clean at last. Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped my hair in the towel and secured in on top of my head. I dried quickly and dressed, towel drying my hair and then leaving it to fall damp about my shoulders. I gathered up the towels and my dirty clothes and made my way downstairs. Tessa hopped up off a wicker chair situated in the hallway. She was holding a pair of tan ankle boots.

"Here are some shoes – you don't have to take them but they're here if you want them."

I looked down at my shoes, scuffed and worn from Lockdown's ambush. "I think that might be a good idea. Is it alright of I burn my old clothes and shoes? I don't wanna leave any evidence that might get you in trouble." Tessa blanched for a second before smiling brightly at me.

"Sure! Dad's overdue a bonfire anyway." She smiled again and walked through to the kitchen. "Hey, do you want a glass of water?"

"Yes please." She handed me a glass of water with ice.

"Wanna go sit on the porch for five minutes?"

"Sure." She led me back through the screen door and motioned for me to sit in a big rocking chair. She sat in the one opposite, looking at me with curious eyes. I took a long drink of water, the liquid soothing the dust fuelled fire in my throat. "Thank you so much for the clothes Tessa, it really means a lot."

"You're welcome Cordelia, it's no trouble. Plus, it gives me an excuse to buy more clothes!" I laughed and took another sip of water. "What's your story Cordelia? How did you find yourself with a Transformer – least of all _Optimus_ _ **Prime**_?"

I thought for a few seconds before answering her. "Optimus…Optimus found me at a point in my life when I was very vulnerable. He taught me how to love and trust again at a time when I thought there was no point to either. I was with him in the battle for Mission City, Egypt, Chicago and now we're here. I…never planned to stay with him permanently, it just sort of happened I guess. Optimus gets me like no one else ever has – I dunno. He says that we are two halves of the same whole. The thought of life without him now – well it's just not an option. I go where he goes and vice versa."

"Are you like…a couple?" Tessa's face was apprehensive. I burst out laughing.

"Aha, no, we are not a couple. I love him unconditionally, but it isn't a romantic love. He's kind of like a father figure, but he doesn't _behave_ like a father to me if that makes sense. It's a bond that goes so deep that I can't explain it." She nodded, seeming to understand.

"So, you have like a connection with him? You don't need to speak for him to know how you're feeling." She had a faraway look in her eyes.

"Yes, that's exactly how it is."

"Is he…are the Transformers truly dangerous?"

I answered her honestly. "Yes. I mean, look at what they did in Chicago five years ago. Yes, the Autobots are just as capable of destruction as the Decepticons, they are just as powerful, but it's how they _use_ that power that sets them apart from the Decepticons. Optimus and the Autobots have **chosen** to protect human kind…and they've been repaid by being attacked. It's disgraceful. Because of Cemetery Wind, we've driven all over the country to avoid capture. If they get us, they'll kill Optimus and anybody else who gets in their way."

"But _why_? Optimus and the others fought **for** us!"

"I don't know Tessa, I don't know."

I put my glass down on the small wicker table next to the rocking chair and stood up. "I'm gonna go back to the barn now. Thanks again for the clothes – it's a huge help."

"It's okay – I'm gonna wait out here a little longer for Lucas to come back."

"Okay – I'll see you later then." I walked down the porch steps and back into the barn. Cade was still poking around in Optimus' chest, using a massive torch to light up the darkness. I leaned against one of the many tables within the barn.

"You took a hell of a hit y'know – the missile just missed your power source." Optimus looked down at his open chest.

"We call it a Spark. It contains our life force…and our memories."

"Yeah? We call it a soul." Optimus didn't reply but began to fiddle with the large bullet casings lodged in his shoulder armour. He picked one loose, pulled it out and then flicked it across the room.

"Cade, why are you willing to help me?" Cade finished banging a piece of metal and ascended the ladder, lighting his blow-torch.

"I guess maybe because you trust me to." He flicked on his protective mask over his face and began working on the severed energon line that passed directly over Optimus' Spark chamber. He grimaced as Cade worked, pulling and tugging at energon lines and neural conveyors. He winced and held on tightly to one of the barn supports.

"I'm sorry big guy, can I numb you or something?" Optimus shook his head.

"Inducing stasis is not an option. Do not worry Cade; I can endure." He looked up from Cade and over to me, his expression changing at once from pained to pleased. I walked over to him and leaned against his hand. He turned it over and I sat in his palm, enjoying the cool feel of his metal skin as a nice contrast to the dry Texan heat. Cade worked for another half an hour, and then the barn door swung open as Lucas returned.

"I got everything you asked for dude, I even remembered that plastic splint thing." Cade jumped down from the ladder and tossed his mask onto a nearby bench.

"What took you so long?"

"I had to go to the doctor's office dude! I got a welt on my head that makes me look like a frickin' _Star Trek_ character. Thanks metal dude." He waved loosely at Optimus, who in turn looked a bit sheepish.

"I apologise for injuring your head Lucas. I thought that you were going to hurt Cordelia." Lucas waved his hands in the air dismissively.

"No biggie dude. It'll probably get the chicks on Sergeant Williams." Cade chucked a dirty rag at Lucas.

"Out, now!" Lucas chuckled and exited the barn, snickering the whole time. Optimus looked thoroughly puzzled.

"Who is Sergeant Williams?" Cade burst out laughing and started to put his tools away. I tried not to join Cade in his hysterics.

"I'll tell you when you're older."

.o

As the night drew in, Cade finally finished his long and laborious work on Optimus.

"That's about as much as I can do Optimus – I've repaired your energon line as best I can and tried to fix that transponder thingy of yours. You should be able to project your erh…image thing." Optimus rose slowly to his feet, a little stiffly since he'd been sitting down all day so that Cade could work on him. Cade jumped back a little as Optimus stood at his full height.

"Geez! How tall _are_ you?" Optimus smiled slightly.

"In human measurements, I stand at twenty-eight feet in height." Cade whistled.

"Well, you look a lot smaller on TV! Cordelia, Tessa's cooking baked potatoes tonight – that sound good for you?"

"That sounds great Cade! Thanks a lot!"

"No worries kid – just be grateful that it's Tessa cookin' and not mine. She inherited her cooking skills and her good looks from her mom." Optimus looked down at us.

"Where is Mrs Yeager? I haven't detected another human heat signature within the property line." Cade looked away from Optimus and down at the ground. He gently touched the gold wedding band on his ring finger.

"Tessa's mom…Tessa's mom died when she was five. She had breast cancer. She fought for so long. A mastectomy bought her eight months – but it got to her other breast. My Emily died, and I had to raise Tessa without her mom."

"Oh Cade, I'm so sorry." I put my hand on his arm. He smiled sadly at me.

"It's okay Cordelia – I can talk about her now and it doesn't hurt. Emily gave me some of the best years of my life – and Tessa – well, she's the best thing that has ever happened to me. She's my whole world – and she is her mother's daughter through and through."

Optimus knelt and put a large finger on Cade's shoulder.

"I apologise for my insensitivity Cade. Please accept my sincere apologies." Cade shrugged, a little embarrassed.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Besides, you didn't know about Emily, so how was it insensitive?" He meant it as a rhetorical question, but Optimus answered him anyway.

"Nonetheless, it was too personal of a question for me to ask, and for that I apologise. I may not be human, but I endeavour to try and respect humanity's social customs."

"Ahh, don't worry about it – you haven't upset me so it's fine." Cade put down his dirty rag on the work bench and went to leave the barn. "I'm going to shower and get ready for dinner – Tessa won't appreciate it if I reek like a polecat." I smiled at him as he left the barn. Optimus put his face in his hands.

"I can't believe I was so insensitive. It was much too personal of a question to ask him." I patted his ankle sympathetically.

"Optimus, he said it was okay – and you weren't to know. Put it out of your mind and let's get ready for dinner."


	10. Chapter 10

Dinner was a quiet affair. We ate in the barn, Tessa and Cade sitting on one side of the table while I sat on the other. Optimus loomed over us quietly, his stature tired and relaxed at the same time. Tessa had made baked potatoes with a cheese salad. It was delicious and filling, and a perfect accompaniment to the hot Texan weather. Cade put his knife and fork down on the table and placed his hands over his now swollen stomach.

"Thanks, darlin', that hit the spot just right." I set my own cutlery down and poured some more root beer into my glass from the pitcher on the table, a little awkwardly as I was hindered by the sling and splint that Optimus had helped me put on earlier. Optimus shifted his weight slightly, his joints hissing quietly with the movement.

I spoke up after Cade.

"Yeah, thanks a lot Tessa, that was a really nice meal." She waved her hand at me dismissively.

"No big deal, I cook all the time for dad. He doesn't know how to cook anything without ketchup." I smiled at her and took a long swig from my glass. Cade spoke up again.

"Right, I'm new to this whole 'hiding a Transformer in my barn' thing, but I think we should have some sort of plan in place, just in case anybody official comes sniffing around." Optimus raised his eyebrows.

"Is that a possibility Cade?" Cade shrugged.

"Anything's possible, I mean, I'm having dinner in my barn with Optimus Prime and his human sidekick." He grinned at me ruefully. "I just think we should have some sort of strategy to hide you—" here he motioned to Optimus, "from anyone who decides to come looking for you." Optimus nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that would be a practical thing to do. We should develop a drill of sorts." Cade jumped up from his seat enthusiastically.

"Yeah, yeah, we need a place to hide you; to hide you both. We have an old storm cellar, it would be a bit of a tight fit but I think we could get you in there." Optimus looked from Cade to me, and then down at himself.

"I assume you are referring to myself when you say that it will be a 'tight fit'?" Cade put his hand over his mouth.

"Of course, of course! I didn't mean you Cordelia, of course no, I mean there's nothing of ya anyway!" He ran a hand nervously over the back of his neck. Optimus chuckled, a low rumbling baritone that resounded faintly in my ribs. Cade composed himself and started stacking the plates on top of each other before placing them on the floor. Tessa looked at her father with a kind of bemused expression on her face that inferred she was used to seeing her father do strange things, like stacking dinner plates on the floor of old barns. At any rate, she seemed to know what her father was thinking as she joined Cade at the head of the table. I rose from my seat, unsure of what to do.

"We need to move the table, it's on top of the storm cellar door." I rushed to help, but Cade shook his head at me. "It's okay Cordelia, Tessa and I can manage—wha? Hey, easy!" Cade shouted in surprise as the table was lifted easily from the ground in one of Optimus' enormous hands. I tried not to smile as Optimus' hand hovered awkwardly at about ten feet in the air.

"Erh, Cade, where would you like me to put this table?" Cade scratched the back of his head, perplexed.

"Umm, I guess you can just put it behind you over there, I can use it to work from later." Optimus said nothing but turned around, carefully avoiding the barn supports and tools hanging from the rafters. He placed the table down on the ground without so much as a thud and then turned to face us. "Heh, thanks for that Optimus, 'preciate it. Umm, you'll need to move back a little bit, you're sitting on the other half of the door." At once, Optimus rose to his feet, a little stiffly. Tessa jumped involuntarily away from his feet, but regained her composure quickly. Optimus looked down at her kindly.

"I realise that my appearance is a little…daunting at first, but I promise you Miss Yeager, I mean you nor any human on this planet any harm whatsoever." Colour rushed to her cheeks, and she played absent-mindedly with her honey-blonde hair.

"Oh erh, it's okay Optimus, I know. It's just a lot to get used to." Optimus nodded understandingly.

"And I thank you for your hospitality towards myself and Cordelia, it is greatly appreciated Miss Yeager." This time when she smiled at him, her smile was fully natural.

"You're welcome, and you can call me Tessa, or Tess, whichever one you prefer." Optimus smiled and took a few slow steps back, away from the storm cellar door. Cade went to the door and unhooked the latch, pulling one door open and then moving around to get the other. Optimus' hand came down once more and gently took the door between a thumb and forefinger, lifting it open before gently releasing it. Inside it was dark and dusty, with a faint smell of earth. Optimus lowered himself to one knee and peered inside.

I looked inside too, walking close to the ladder that would take me down into the bowels of the barn. Cade looked at Optimus expectantly as he rose back to his feet.

"It appears I will fit in this space. The measurements from floor to ceiling are approximately sixteen feet in height. I will have to bend down, but I will fit." He tentatively lowered one leg through the hole into the storm cellar, followed by the other. Like that, the floor of the barn came up approximately to his waist, and the effect was quite comical. He bent his knees and turned to the side a little to allow his shoulders passage through the doorway. He manoeuvred the rest of his body through the hole in the floor, crouching right down on his 'haunches'. That way, only his head was sticking through the doorway.

I walked up to him and playfully poked him on the nose. "Hah, I'm almost as tall as you now!" He smiled at me, his optics softening. Then he tucked his head down so that his chin was resting on his chest. Cade quickly shut both of the doors, and just like that, Optimus was completely concealed. I couldn't even see the faint blue glow from his optics through the slats in the wood.

Cade smiled triumphantly. "Great, I can hide an Autobot in my barn!" He pulled open the cellar doors once more and Optimus poked his head back through the hole. He gestured to me.

"Come here little one, let's see how it is with both of us down here." I walked towards him and let him gently cup his hands around my body. He carefully held me against his chest, tucking his head down again. Because of the way that he was holding me, I could reach up and gently touch his chin. His large optics swivelled down to look at me with mild amusement. We were thrown into darkness as Cade shut the cellar doors again, the only light coming from Optimus' dimmed optics. "Well, this is snug." He said with a small grin.

"Well, _I'm_ not the one with a backside the size of…a small truck." If possible, Optimus managed to snort with laughter. His large fingers moved around me to gently poke me in the ribs, right in my ticklish spot. "Alright, I give in! Mercy!" He chuckled once more and ceased the tickling.

"This space is more than sufficient to hide both of us, but I worry about Cemetery Wind's advanced technology." I looked up at him quizzically.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean they possess technology capable of detecting human heat signatures. I can cloak my signal temporarily, for about an hour or so, but the radiation levels in my cloaking technology would be extremely harmful to you." He looked up as the doors were opened again, and stood. He placed his hand on the ground, palm up, and I stepped off. He lifted himself out of the storm cellar with a little difficulty, trying to avoid knocking over the multitudinous number of tools that Cade possessed. When he was fully out of the cellar, he bent down and shut the doors before gently kicking some loose straw over them.

"That looks good Optimus. Hopefully you won't have to hide for real, but you never know." Optimus smiled again and lowered himself into a sitting position, leaning one arm on a bent knee.

"I think it is important for Cordelia to learn some self-defence and Tessa as well if you think that is necessary Cade. In another twenty-four hours or so, I will attempt to transform back into my vehicle mode and then utilise my human-sized holoform. I will be able to teach Lia more easily that way."

Cade nodded slowly. "Maybe Tessa can watch for now, if that's okay with you."

Optimus merely dipped his head in Cade's direction. "It is up to you Cade; she is your daughter."

"Dad, I think self-defence lessons are a great idea!" Tessa spoke up, her expression bright. Cade offered her a sickly-sweet smile.

"Theresa, you are still not eighteen, so you do what I say. And I say no self-defence lessons, yet." She pouted playfully at him but offered no resistance.

Optimus grinned widely. "Excellent. Lia, we'll start after breakfast."

.o

The remainder of the day went by fairly quickly, and night drew in, accompanied by the loud whining (change later) of the cicadas. Cade brought the mattress from his spare room into the barn and settled it on the least dusty bit of the floor.

"Are you sure you want to sleep in here? You're more than welcome to use the guest bedroom, it'll be more comfortable than the barn."

"Thanks Cade, but that won't be necessary. I'm gonna bunk in with Optimus tonight."

Optimus nodded in agreement. "Yes Cade; I would like Cordelia with me at all times, for the time being at least. These are dangerous times for us and we need to be together in the case of an emergency." Cade smiled.

"Sure, that's no problem – lemme just run up back to the house and get you some blankets; don't want ya to be cold in the night." He jogged briskly out of the barn, leaving Optimus and I alone for the first time all day.

Optimus rubbed his jaw and coughed a little, a tiny bit of dust escaping out of his mouth and through the vents on the back of his head. I sat back against his foot, glad of the support it offered.

"Phew, what a day huh?" Optimus' hand came down and I scooted myself into it. He deposited me on his left shoulder, my legs dangling freely.

"It has indeed been a rather unique day. We are indebted to Cade, Tessa and Lucas. I have to admit, I feel somewhat guilty for hitting him like that with my rifle."

"Well, you weren't to know that he wasn't an immediate threat. And okay, he has a bruise, but I think his ego is bruised more." He turned to look at me with that air of incredulity that he possessed in such abundance. "And besides; you didn't seriously injure him. He'll be fine Optimus, don't worry about it." He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I know, I know. It's just…argh. It doesn't matter."

"Don't say 'it doesn't matter'. If it's bothering you, then it matters. If you don't tell me what's bugging you, I'll sing ALL night long, and then you'll really have something to be upset about." His shoulders moved up and down with the light motion of his chuckle.

"Alright, alright. You win." He hesitated for a few seconds, and then continued. "Before the Autobots and I arrived on Earth – we all agreed that we would not harm humans. My most basic commandment as leader of the Autobots; freedom is the right of all sentient beings. I was not going to void that most important rule by harming any member of the homo-sapien species. And yet, since our arrival on Earth over a decade ago, thousands upon thousands of innocent humans have lost their lives. And in the last week – I have **personally** hurt humans. Those who worked for Cemetery Wind, and Lucas." The covers on his audio receptors began to spin, indicating he was feeling stressed.

I tried to rub soothing circles into the base of his audio finials, attempting to relieve some of his anguish. He offered me a small smile, but it didn't fully reach his optics.

"Optimus…it's not your fault. You did what you had to do to protect yourself and me. Hey, listen to me Optimus." He had turned away from me, his optics downcast and sad. "You did not start those altercations, you did not provoke those attacks. You have selflessly protected this earth for over a decade, asking for nothing in return except for a safe place for you and the other Autobots to call home. And in return, you have been needlessly attacked, and nearly bloody killed by the ungrateful pieces of human scum that you saved. So, don't feel bad Optimus – you were just acting in self-defence. Nothing more, nothing less." Optimus turned to face me, his optics suddenly misty.

"Thank you little one. You never fail to show me the light when I am lost in the dark." I leaned against the side of his head, tracing the markings on his cheek with the back of my hand.

At that moment, Cade re-entered the barn, equipped with a selection of blankets. He plopped them down onto the mattress, making sure they were arranged in some semblance of tidiness. Optimus gathered me in his palm once more and placed me carefully on the ground. Cade held out a strange pink bundle to me.

"I uhh, bought you some of Tessa's spare pyjamas." I took them with a grateful smile.

"Thanks Cade, I'll just go outside and change quickly."

I slipped past Optimus' outstretched leg and out of the small door at the back of the barn. The evening air was cooler and balmier than it had been in the afternoon, and it was a welcome relief to breathe without the sensation of my lungs being pressed down by some invisible force.

The pyjamas consisted of a pair of cotton bottoms and a spaghetti strap top saying, 'I like Pina Coladas'. I quickly pulled it over my head, bunching Tessa's t-shirt up in my arms. I wriggled out of the jeans and slipped on the pink cotton bottoms, pleased to find that they fitted pretty well. I went back into the barn to find Optimus arranging the blankets into the way that I liked them.

He looked so out of place and adorable, his hands bigger than the blankets that he was arranging so diligently. He piled them on top of each other before pulling back the corners. Optimus smiled at my borrowed pyjamas.

"I wasn't aware that you liked Pina Coladas Lia."

"Har har." I stuck my tongue out playfully at him and got into bed. The sheets were crisp and the blankets thick, and they would warm up with my body heat in no time at all. I laid back, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, my eyelids began to droop. Optimus pulled the covers over me, bringing them right up to underneath my chin.

"Goodnight little one."

"Goodnight Optimus."

.o

I awoke what felt like only a few moments later. Optimus and Cade were talking in low tones at the other end of the barn. I was careful to keep my breathing low and even, not wanting to alert Optimus to the fact that I was awake.

"So, how long has she been with you?" Cade asked Optimus with genuine curiosity. I heard Optimus shift his weight, feeling the faint vibrations of the ground through my borrowed mattress.

"I have known Cordelia for a little over ten years. We met on the very day that I first landed on Earth. Cordelia was only fourteen years old."

"How did you meet her? I mean, you're not exactly the sort of person you just come across by chance." Optimus chuckled, but it sounded sad.

"Yes, you're right there Cade. I cannot divulge the story of how Cordelia and I made each other's acquaintances without her permission. It is a somewhat personal story and I do not feel comfortable telling it without her knowledge. I will say this though; you could say Cordelia **fell** into my life." Cade was silent for a few moments, seemingly using the silence as a chance to take in what Optimus had said.

"That's cool, I understand that. So…how come she didn't go back to her parents? I mean, I'm sure you've taken great care of her and all, but you're a…" his voice trailed off into an awkward silence.

"It's okay Cade; you can say it. I'm not the person one would immediately think of when it comes to taking care of a child." Optimus spoke kindly, not at all perturbed by Cade's curiosity.

"Yeah, you could say that, and the fact that you're a giant robot. So, you say you've known Cordelia for just over ten years, has she lived with you for that amount of time?"

"Affirmative. It was not feasible for her to return to her…former caregiver. She lived with myself and the other Autobots on our base in Diego Garcia. She continued her education in the NEST Education Programme; it was a non-profit service provided by retired teachers. Children of military personnel who served with NEST were educated free of charge. After the battle in Egypt, our base was relocated to just outside of Chicago. After the war there…we returned to the base. A few weeks later, a warrant was issued for Cordelia's arrest. I had purchased a property a few years previously, so I asked a mutual human friend of ours to take her there whilst I tied up a few loose knots at the base."

"Don't you mean 'loose ends'?"

"Ahh. Yes. I still struggle to understand the so called 'figures of speech' that humanity uses."

"Heh, yeah. I don't get them half the time myself. Optimus, can I ask you a question?"

"Certainly Cade."

"Why do you trust me?" Optimus took his time before answering.

"I trust you because of Tessa, Cade. I can see how much you love her, and I see how you would do anything for her. I am the same way with Cordelia. She is my world, and I would do absolutely anything to protect her. I do not believe you would have taken us in if you believed myself to be a risk to Tessa. In short, Cordelia means as much to me as Tessa does to you, and I believe that you won't put Tessa in danger for anything or anyone, and that Cade, is why I trust you."

This time it was Cade who chuckled softly.

"You got that right. After Emily's passing, Tessa was the only one who got me out of bed in the morning. She was so young…she didn't understand. I told her that her mommy had gone to be one of God's angels. Her mom would be _so_ proud of her. She's certainly got her mom's temper, that's for sure!"

"I can see you have raised her into a wonderful young woman Cade. I am complete with Cordelia. She is the only person in my entire **existence** that I have found I can be wholly myself with. She does not judge me or push me. She is my pillar of strength and wisdom, and I love her with everything that I am."

It was then that my eyelids began to droop again, and I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

.o

The next morning after breakfast, Optimus began coaching me in self-defence. He had transformed into the rusted Marmon truck, his robot holoform standing beside me. We were outside, standing in the large shadow that the barn cast over us. Being behind the barn allowed shelter from any prying eyes, allowing Optimus to use his holoform without being seen by anybody.

"I always intend to be here to protect you Cordelia, but you need to be able to defend yourself if I am unable to be there to protect you. Now, I know you will be slightly hindered because of your sling, but in battle, there is little time to tend to injuries. The best you can do is a temporary fix and then get yourself to a medic as soon as possible after the battle has reached its end."

I raised an incredulous eyebrow at him, reaching up to my neck to undo the sling. His optics widened in surprise. I tossed the sling to the side, under the shade of a large oak tree. "I technically don't need the sling. The splint will be just fine."

Optimus' optics narrowed ever so slightly, and he ground his lip plates together subtly. He stepped into my space, his six foot eight-inch frame filling my entire field of vision. His scarred silver hands came up to rest on my shoulders, his optics solemn.

"Cordelia, you require that sling to keep your arm immobile – it-" I reached up and put a finger on his cool lips.

"I will put the sling back on after we have finished practicing. You said it yourself; the best you can do in a fight is a temporary fix. I probably won't even need the sling in a few days anyway." I subconsciously moved closer to him, glaring up at him defiantly. His optics read my face carefully, his irises dilating and contracting quickly. He was processing my words, slightly annoyed by them. The covers on his audio receptors span slowly and his lip plates ground together subtly. His hand moved up to his face, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger.

"Okay. But you will put this sling back on as soon as your lesson has concluded." I threw my hands up in defeat.

"Fine, fine. I'll put the stupid thing back on after we've finished practicing." His optics tilted upwards slightly in a small smile. He was acquiesced for the moment; but I knew the discussion would resume later. (change). He stepped back, putting about a metre of space between us.

"We'll practice shooting first. I know a gun will not be effective against the Decepticons, but they _are_ effective against other humans. If someone presents a clear and present danger to you, you are fully within your rights to defend yourself."

"I don't want to kill—" Optimus held a hand up.

"I'm not suggesting that you kill. Just incapacitate. Shoot them in the foot or in the leg. It's about evasion, not attack. But, you do need to be able to pull the trigger without even a _second_ of hesitation. That's all it takes between victory and defeat on the battle field."

I nodded, trying to swallow past the hard lump that had suddenly formed in my throat. Optimus' robotic holoform gently slipped a sleek black combat pistol into my hand. I turned it over, marvelling at the surprising heaviness of it, awed by that fact that I held something capable of so much carnage in the palm of my hand. Like always, Optimus sensed my feelings.

"Easy Lia. Guns don't shoot themselves. Yes, you hold the power of death in your hand, but it is how you decide **use** that power that counts. I need you to be safe Lia, and I know you will not use that gun unless it is absolutely necessary." I nodded again, feeling my heart beat slow at his reassuring words. Optimus positioned himself so that he was standing behind me, his six foot eight-inch frame towering over mine. His large hands cupped mine and he rubbed reassuring circles onto the backs of my hands with his thumbs. "Now, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Use your left hand to support your right…good girl. Now feel the weight of the gun in your hand, allow yourself to get used to it. Don't be surprised once you pull the trigger, it will recoil and the force will be strong. You're only tiny after all." He winked down at me at these words, his kind blue eyes twinkling in the sunlight.

"Haha. We can't all be giant robots." He chuckled quietly and adjusted my hands on the gun.

"You need to get used to holding the weapon. Let it become an extension to your very body. Think of it as an extra limb; but never, ever use it without thinking. Always calculate the shot before you take it. Ask yourself, is it possible that it will stray from your intended path? Is there a chance that it will miss the target? Answering these questions is the key to minimising mistakes and casualties."

"Okay. Shoulder width apart, hold gun steady, make sure bullet hits intended target." Optimus nodded encouragingly.

"Good girl. Now, I've lined up some glass bottles on the wall over there." He made a sweeping motion with a long arm towards a wall about fifteen yards away. On top of the wall were four glass bottles. They were glinting faintly in the morning sunlight, casting delicate shadows of light on the ground. "I want you to try and shoot them off the wall; don't worry if you miss – the bullets we're using are rubber. First, you'll need to deactivate the safety feature on the weapon. Just flick that switch with your thumb." I did as he said, and the gun clicked to life in my hands. "Now, just aim and shoot. Don't forget the recoil. I'm right here if you need me."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, raising the gun with my finger resting lightly on the trigger. I pointed it at the first bottle, making sure it lined up as accurately as possible. I squeezed the trigger and a bullet exploded from the gun with surprising force. It flew into the bottle, smashing it into a thousand glittering pieces. Optimus clapped. "Well done! That was brilliant for your first go!" I grinned, pleasantly surprised, that I, an uncoordinated and clumsy person, had managed to hit my intended target. I aimed at the second bottle, lining the gun up as I had with the first. I pressed down on the trigger and the bullet flew into the brick wall with a dull 'thud'. I tutted at myself.

"Easy Cordelia, not everyone hits their target all the time; and it is only your first go. Here, let me show you." I flicked the safety back on and handed him the gun. It looked like a toy in his large hands. He flicked the safety off and aimed the gun at the bottle, his finger giving the trigger the lightest of squeezes. The neck of the bottle shattered, but the rest remained intact. My mouth fell open.

"What? How did you do that?!" He smiled and returned the gun to me, flicking the safety back on.

"Millennia of practice. And targeting systems help as well. Do you want to try again?" I nodded and repeated the process. This time, the bullet struck home, the bottle smashing, but not completely. I smiled and did it again with the fourth bottle, this time knocking it clean off the wall. Optimus smiled and nodded his approval.

We continued in that vein for an hour, and Optimus calculated that six out of my every ten shots hit the intended target.

"Of course, you'll improve with time and more practice, but you've done remarkably well on your first attempt Lia, well done."

"Thank you for teaching me Optimus – who better to learn combat from than the leader of the Autobots?" He smiled and unloaded the gun before placing it into a makeshift holster at his hip. (change).

"You are more than welcome Cordelia. We'll have a quick break and then we'll move onto hand-to-hand combat." He pulled up a chair for me and fetched a fresh orange juice from the mini fridge from inside the barn. The liquid was heavenly refreshing, taking the edge off of the dry Texan heat.

After fifteen minutes and a bathroom break, Optimus stood and faced me.

"I'm going to teach you how to block an attack; are you ready?"

I nodded.

"Now Lia. You are small, but you can use that to your advantage. May I?"

I nodded and Optimus positioned me so that I was standing diagonally but still facing him. He lifted my right arm and bent it so that it was at a right angle. "If somebody comes towards you, you block with this arm." I did as he said and he smiled in encouragement. "Now, use my weight against me and push me back." I did as he said again and pushed against his holoform as hard as I could. He moved right back under my weight and the pair of us fell to the ground. His strong arms formed a protective wall around me, cushioning me from the rough impact of hitting the ground. I smiled at him ruefully.

"Good girl, that was an excellent take-down."

"Yeah, but you let me knock you over." He shook his head.

"It was you who did that; I just ensured that you would not do further damage to your wrist." He helped me to my feet and turned to face me once more. "Now, with you it will be more about evasion than attack. I will make a move as if I'm going to punch you; I would like you to dodge my attack however you see fit, and attack me with a counter-blow." I looked at him nervously.

"Aren't you going to tell me _how_ to dodge and attack with a counter-blow?" He shook his head, the sun catching on his ear finials.

"No, I want you to trust your body. Try not to think about it too much – act on instinct. Instead of you guiding your body; let your body guide **you.** That way, the movement will be as natural as possible for you." I took in his words, rubbing a hand over the plastic splint on my arm.

"But if I am attacked or in a fight, the person I'm fighting isn't going to tell me their every move." Optimus' optics tilted up in a wry smile.

"That is true, but remember that this is a lesson. If you watch your attacker's body carefully, you can have a good guess at what they are going to do. Watch the feet, the hands, the eyes. Always watch the eyes; the eyes will always give someone away." Without warning he made a movement as if he was going to strike me. Without thinking, I ducked to avoid the blow and curled my left hand into a tight fist, bringing it up to collide with his waist. He looked down in surprise, and I used the opportunity to quickly assess the situation. There was no way that I would be able to trip him; he was much too heavy. Instead I kicked him lightly on his knee and then shoulder rushed him. The pair of us tumbled to the ground in a heap of tangled limbs. Optimus looked at me bemusedly.

"Well done! That was fantastic Cordelia." I felt the blood rush to my cheeks at his words.

"It was probably just beginner's luck." Optimus hopped to his feet and graciously helped me regain a vertical base.

"No – that was instinct and good thinking. You caught me by surprise. A good place for you to target on a human is the groin area or—"

"DAD!" Optimus' voice was over-run (change) by Tessa's loud shout. Optimus' head snapped up and his optics widened. I turned to follow his gaze saw four huge and black SUV vehicles. Optimus wasted no time in scooping me into his arms so that he was carrying me bridal style.

He went to the side of the barn where several large barrels were stored and quickly placed me inside of one. He pulled a blanket out from seemingly nowhere and draped it over the top of me.

"Cordelia, don't move."


	11. Chapter 11

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 **Trigger Warning:** Character death and violence.

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"Stay down and don't move." Optimus' tone of voice was deadly serious; he was in full on Prime mode; a leader, a protector. He grabbed a huge slab of loose concrete from the floor. It should have taken at least three men to hoist the huge weight of it off the ground, but Optimus lifted it as if it weighed no more than a matchstick. "The blanket and the concrete will help to conceal your heat signature from their technology. Be still Cordelia, I love you." He let go of the concrete so that he was just supporting its weight with one arm. His free hand moved down to graze my cheek gently with his cool knuckles. I grabbed onto his hand and kissed it fervently.

"I love you too. Always." He placed the concrete slab over the top of the barrel, casting me into complete darkness. A small hole in the side of the barrel allowed me a fair view of the area outside. I could see the drive way and the wrap around porch of the Yeagers' house. A swing-bench swayed softly in the light breeze. Optimus' holoform dissipated with a small puff, and I heard his engine start as he drove himself into the barn.

All was silent.

I hardly dared to move, my breathing fast and shallow. Tessa and Cade emerged from the porch, walking towards the edge of the property line. Cade placed a protective arm around Tessa, pulling her close. Lucas emerged from behind a tree, his face scrunched up in concentration as he looked at the approaching SUVs. There were three huge black jeep style SUVs accompanied by two smaller vehicles that looked like Rally Fighters. A helicopter followed closely behind them, touching down in the field neighbouring the Yeagers' farm. The cars rolled to a heavy stop and almost immediately men began emerging from the vehicles.

They all had the same air of arrogance about them. All walked with straight backs and raised shoulders. My blood turned to ice in my veins as I recognised James Savoy amongst them. He was dressed in the same clothes he had been on the last two occasions I'd seen him; a black leather trench coat accompanied by blue aviator shades. Cade left the porch and met Savoy, who had made no qualms about crossing the property line. Cade appraised the man with cool eyes, his shoulders rising to form a subtle yet defiant stance. Savoy was the first to speak.

"Nice place you got here – pity she's for sale." He smirked, enjoying the tense atmosphere.

"Yeah? Well she's not. For sale that is," Cade shot back, not faltered by Savoy's smug demeanour. Savoy raised an incredulous brow, looking over at the 'for sale' sign that stated otherwise. Cade wasted no time in confronting Savoy. "Why are you here? You can't just waltz onto someone's property."

"My men and I are looking for a truck." Cade shrugged nonchalantly.

"What kind of truck?"

"The kind of truck that cost American lives!"

"I don't know nuthin' 'bout any truck. You can't search my place without a warrant. You know what they say about people messin' with people from Texas?" Savoy stepped into Cade's space, bearing down on him.

"My FACE is my warrant. Now, I'm gonna ask you again. Where is the truck?"

"And I'm gonna tell **you** again; I know nothing about any truck. Wait – you mean **that** truck?" He asked, gesturing with his head towards an old blue Chevy. Savoy ground his teeth together.

"No. Not that truck. Search the property!" The men sprang into action, releasing small drones into the air. A huge bald man roughly grabbed Tessa's arm and pulled her off of the porch. Lucas tried to run, but was immediately apprehended. Cade ran over to Tessa, pushing the huge man off her.

"Get your hands off of her!" An African-American man wrestled him to the ground, kneeling on his back to pin him down. The large bald man shoved Tessa onto the floor, knocking over a red pull-cart. Savoy stood over Cade, his pistol drawn.

"Where is the truck?"

"Okay! Fine! There was a truck! I brought it back here last night to do repairs, this morning I get out here and it's gone! That's all I know!" Savoy cocked the gun, aiming it at Tessa. "You gonna shoot my little girl?!"

"If I have to." Savoy's reply was calm and indifferent.

"Please don't shoot me!" Tessa's voice was full of fear, tears rolling down her cheeks as the barrel of the gun was pressed against her temple. Savoy pulled Cade up off the ground, holding him by the neck of his shirt.

"Where is the FUCKING TRUCK?!" Cade was visibly shaken, his gaze flicking rapidly back and forth between Savoy and Tessa.

"I already told you! It was here last night, this morning it was gone! That's as much as I know about him, I swear!" For an agonisingly long second, everything slowed to almost a halt. Savoy removed his aviators.

"Mr Yeager; you said 'him'." Cade's eyes widened as he realised the implications of these words. Without warning, he swung around and punched Cade in the mouth with such force that it knocked him to the ground. "Widen the search parameters!" Half a dozen more drones were released into the air and began flying in all directions. I hardly dared to move inside the barrel, only taking the shallowest of breaths. My heart was thumping loudly behind my sternum, my blood pumping deafeningly in my ears. Shouts of 'clear' rand out from all around me and I sagged with relief as the agents exited the barn empty handed.

"You got ten seconds before I blow her head off." Savoy had barely finished speaking when the barrel I was in was violently pushed over. The large bald man grabbed the back of my shirt and pulled me out of the barrel.

"I found her! I found Prime's girl!" Savoy's head snapped up at this information.

"Then fucking shoot her!" The bald man reached out to me with a hand the size of a dessert plate. He pulled me roughly to my feet, wrapping a huge muscled arm around my neck to hold me still. I heard the gun click before he pressed the cold barrel against my jaw line.

"I'm gonna enjoy this." His breath was hot and smelt of stale tobacco. I let my gaze dart around the farm, looking to Cade and Tessa, both pinned down by Cemetery Wind agents. Lucas was being kneeled on, his arms laid out limply at his sides. Lastly I looked to the barn, silently sending love through every fibre of my being to Optimus. I shut my eyes tightly, waiting for the inevitable.

It all happened very fast then.

There was a low explosion from the barn, and Optimus exploded through the doors in a cloud of fire and thick black smoke.

"HERE I AM!" Optimus' roar echoed throughout the farm, and the birds in the nearby trees abruptly took flight. He spun to avoid the agents' attack and let off a blast from his cannon, firing to disperse, not kill. The force from his attacked caused a car to flip and at least four of the Cemetery Wind agents were knocked off of their feet. The man holding me loosened his grip, raising his gun so that it was aimed at Optimus. Optimus reached us in two easy strides. The bullets that the bald man fired at him deflected off of his battered armour harmlessly. He uttered a low, menacing growl from deep within his vocoder, narrowing his optics at the man. He reached towards us, firmly, but taking great care to disentangle the man's iron grip on me. The man tried to fight against Optimus, but he was no match for the strength of even one of Optimus' fingers. The bald man grunted with the effort resisting Optimus, his grip tightening once more around my neck. Optimus' huge thumb and forefinger sought purchase on the man's arm, and pulled it effortlessly away. He lowered his great visage into our field of vision, a cold, poisonous fury present on his face.

" **Never** touch her again." His voice was quiet, but dripping with anger. He shoved the man aside hard enough to wind him, but not enough to hurt him. As he turned to look at me, all the anger in his face evaporated and gave way to worried concern. He lifted a finger to graze my cheek, his hand running down my body, checking for any injures. "Are you hurt?" I shook my head. The relief on his face was palpable. "Lockdown is only a few miles away – I need to get you out of-" the rest of his sentence was overpowered by a huge explosion. Optimus wasted no time in scooping me up and holding me close to his chest. He took an easy step over a fallen tree before rolling to avoid one of Cemetery Wind's missiles. He opened his fingers and I rolled out of them onto the soft grass. "Lia, go with Cade; I will lure Lockdown away from here." He did not wait for my reply as he sprang to his feet once more and began to fire at something in the distance. Another missile struck the field on the edge of the farm as Optimus ran past, the ground shaking under his immense weight.

"Cade, they're going to kill you! Get out of here!" my feet refused to move as Optimus ran into the neighbouring fields before transforming and tearing down the dirt road. Cade grabbed my arm.

"C'mon kid! There's no time!" I hesitantly let Cade pull me along. There was a low rumble, and suddenly the farmhouse was blown to smithereens by a missile that had not been fired by Cemetery Wind.

Lockdown.

This time I needed no instruction to run. The heat from the blast was incredible, and the smell of thick smoke quickly filled my nostrils. Pieces of wood fell everywhere while explosions sounded behind. Cade, Tessa, Lucas and I ran as fast as we could push our legs to go; Cade pulling me along so that I wouldn't get left behind. Three more Cemetery Wind agents emerged from over the hill, converging in on us. They cornered us, leaving us no escape route. Out of nowhere, a rally car appeared, executing a perfect jump over a large pond. One of the front tyres struck an agent in the face, knocking him out cold. It screeched to a halt in front of us. The driver threw the passenger door open.

"Get in!" All of us piled into the car. Cade in the front and Tessa, Lucas and I all crammed into the back. I turned in my seat to look for Optimus, but only saw a sleek, grey Lamborghini tearing down the road that led past the farm. The rally car's tyres spun, sending up loose dirt and sand into the air, temporarily blinding the agents. The driver of the car was a complete stranger, and seemed to want to help us.

"What's goin' on baby? Who are they?" He spoke with a heavy Irish accent, addressing Tessa directly. Cade grew agitated.

"What the-? Who _is_ this guy? And why is he callin' you _baby_?!" The driver held one hand up in defence.

"Mr Yeager, this is NOT how I wanted us to meet, my name's Shane and-"

"He's my boyfriend dad! He's my boyfriend!" Cade's face went a number of different shades before settling on dark red.

"What?! You don't **have** a boyfriend! You are _so_ grounded!" Shane tried to speak again, but Cade shouted over him. "Shut up and drive kid!"

Shane threw the car into first gear and it lurched forwards into the corn field that ran parallel to what _had_ been the Yeagers' farm. The tyres shredded the crops that hadn't quite matured, sending them up into the air in flurries of maize and corn. The thick forest of crops helped to shield us from the pursuing agents. A helicopter kept up with us easily, no doubt relaying our location to the cars on the ground. One of the black cars burst through the wall of tall corn, smashing into the left side of the rally car, smashing both the driver's and the back-passenger's windows. The force of the collision caused the car to spin 180 degrees and Shane floored it. The corn fields gave way to the characteristic grey of the road as we emerged into the centre of town. The huge black SUVs weaved easily through the light traffic until they were right behind us. Men standing through the open sun rooves began firing off warning shots from the guns mounted to the car. They whistled past us, sounding like a swarm of locusts, intent on devouring everything in their path. Shane sped through the town at more than twice the legal speed limit, giving a whole new meaning to the phrase 'burnt rubber'.

The scene both behind and in front of us was complete and utter carnage. Cars behind us collided with each other in their efforts to avoid the pursuing SUVs while bullets rained down almost biblically.

"Shit! There's one ahead of us!" Shane's words pulled me back into the present, and I saw with cold horror that he was right. The huge SUV opposite us cut across two lanes of traffic, causing a lorry pulling felled timber to jack-knife and roll onto its side. The straps holding the logs in place snapped and they all rolled freely onto the road. Shane executed a perfect handbrake turn, Tessa, Lucas and I being tossed around in the back of the car like ragdolls. We were in a narrow alley, behind the shops and still going at full speed. Shane drove through a fence in an effort to lose the Cemetery Wind vehicles, and as one tried to follow it crashed into an oak tree, the bonnet crumpling like tinfoil as the occupants in the front were thrown through the shattered windscreen. Shane ripped through half a dozen more fences; tearing up peoples' back gardens and mowing down plastic lawn furniture. We emerged from the last garden into another alley; Cemetery Wind cars on either side of us. Shane beeped the horn furiously before revving the engine and driving straight through the display window of a bingo club. The surprised players leapt out of the way and swore, panicked shouts ringing throughout the room. We crashed through the back entrance of the shop. Tessa grabbed onto the back of Shane's seat, one hand clasped tightly on his shoulder.

"Shane, try to lose 'em in the industrial estate!"

Shane turned the wheel hard to the left, and the car squealed in a hairpin turn that even Bumblebee would have been envious of. We tore unto the industrial estate which was clearly abandoned, evidenced by the dilapidated buildings and numerous broken windows. Bricks and other rubble fell from the buildings, landing just a few feet away from us. I craned my neck to try and see what had caused them to fall, and saw Optimus and Lockdown locked in a fierce brawl. Optimus seemed to have the upper hand, knocking Lockdown over with a mean right hook before grabbing the cable from a crane and tangling him up in it. Lockdown tried to follow Optimus as he scrambled up a huge chimney, but only succeeded at suspending himself in mid-air from the side of the building. Optimus saw us in the car, and even from this distance, I could see the fear in his face. The fear turned to horror as he looked down at something behind us. I followed his gaze and saw all of the remaining Cemetery Wind vehicles gaining on us fast. There was no more than two hundred yards between us, and they were gaining on us with each passing second.

"LIA!" Optimus' panicked shout sounded in my ribs and made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I twisted around in my seat to see Optimus launch himself from the building, straight into the path of the oncoming cars. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion then. As Optimus fell, he twisted so that his back was to the Cemetery Wind cars. His right arm came down and swatted one of the huge SUVs as easily as if it had been nothing more than an annoying insect. The car flipped onto its front, coming to a complete and deadly halt. Optimus manipulated his lower leg so that it made contact with one of the cars; this time his right foot going straight through the windscreen, sending the agents within flying. As the rest of Optimus' body made contact with the ground, his landing caused the buildings to shake on their foundations and the car to rock on its wheels. Only two cars remained out of the several that had been chasing us, and Shane quickly manoeuvred the car into an abandoned multi-storey car park.

Tessa leaned forward in her seat.

"Take 'em upstairs!" Shane followed her instruction, the car struggling to make it up the steep incline of the ramp. Gunshots began to sound again, the bullets deflecting off of the car in quick succession. "Do that thing Shane! Do the thing!"

"What thing?!" The rest of us said in unison.

"Mr Yeager, what we're about to do is kinda scary – but your daughter's got the best hands in the business. Grab my stick Tess!" At any other time, Cade's look of fury and indignation would have been comical. Tessa leaned all the way forward to the front and jerked the handbrake upwards. Shane turned the car to an area of open wall and accelerated.

Lucas started to scream. "No effing way!" My breath caught in my lungs as we drove out of the building, managing a graceful fall through the air before landing on an old ramp. The last two cars followed us, but did not enjoy the same landing. They exploded behind us as they hit the ground, rapidly engulfed in orange flames and thick acrid smoke. My stomach was left behind and my heart was in my mouth as we fell through the air at what felt like break-neck speed. Air whooshed through the broken windows, blowing my hair all over my face.

"Shit! The rim's cracked!" We all filed out of the car, but Lucas' seatbelt wouldn't come undone straight away. For a few seconds that lasted a lifetime, he struggled with the belt before finally coming free. We all turned and ran as Lockdown, now disentangled from the cable, launched a grenade right above us.

Explosions rocked the air around us, sounding in my ribs and behind my sternum. Cade took Tessa and I by the wrist, pulling us along. I allowed myself a quick glance over my shoulder, horrified to see a thick, orangey-black substance that was almost like lava creeping along the ground. I pushed my legs harder still, willing and urging them to move faster. Tessa's golden hair streamed out in front of me, creating a golden, shimmering wall in my field of vision.

"C'mon! Keep goin'!" Cade's face was flecked with soot and sweat, his eyes wide and fearful. Shane was in front of us, sprinting wildly out of the acrid smoke. Still the explosions sounded, my ears beginning to muffle out the sound. I could feel the heat from the liquid fire snapping at my heels and on the back of my neck. I saw Optimus ahead, once more a Marmon truck, and a new and intense energy filled my aching limbs, my only thought to get back to Optimus. It spurred me on, allowing me to close the last of the gap between us quickly. I grabbed onto Tessa's hand and pulled her along, away from the fire intent on devouring us. Optimus skidded to a noisy halt, his tyres sending up white smoke. He honked his air horn and both doors fell open.

"Look, there's Optimus! C'mon Luc-!" Cade didn't finish his sentence, looking on in horror as Lucas desperately tried to outrun the smoke and fire. It engulfed him easily, obscuring him completely from view. We could only look on in horror as Lucas was frozen to the spot in mid-stride. As the smoke dissipated, Lucas' body came back into view. The flesh had been completely burned from his body, leaving behind only a charred, black skeleton. The tattered remains of his flannel shirt blew limply in the faint breeze as the pungent smell of burned flesh filled my nostrils. Bile rose in my throat and I swallowed it back down, retching internally. Optimus materialised his holoform and wordlessly lifted me into his cab before deactivating with a soft hiss. Cade, Shane and Tessa climbed in, settling themselves into the seats quickly. Optimus' low voice rumbled over the speakers.

"We must move. We have a small head start and we must not waste it."

Tessa joined me in the sleeper whilst Cade sat in the driver's seat and Shane settled on the passenger's side. I slumped down onto the old mattress and Tessa flopped down next to me. Her dirt stricken face was stretched with tears, her blonde hair in knots.

Optimus executed a swift U-turn and peeled out of the industrial estate, heading for the highway.

"There is an abandoned fuelling station seventy-eight miles from here. We will arrive there by sundown. I advise all of you to get some sleep. I do not know when you will next have an adequate opportunity." No one replied, but Cade and Shane both shuffled down in their seats. Cade turned around.

"Tessa, you alright darlin'? You ain't hurt?" She shook her head and sniffed.

"I'm fine dad, but Lucas…we just left him!" She broke into soft cries, so I hesitantly put an arm around her shaking shoulders. She leaned into my shoulder, her hair damp with sweat from our mad escape from Cemetery Wind.

"I'm sorry Tess, I'm so sorry." She continued to weep quietly.

"He was like family. He **was** family. I've known him my whole life…and now he's dead…just like that." I could think of nothing to say that would comfort her, so I just tightened my grip around her shoulders. After about ten minutes I pulled away from her, offering her a tissue. "Thank you." I smiled weakly at her.

"You should sleep for a while – we'll be driving for at least an hour." She looked around the sleeper hesitantly.

"Optimus won't mind?" I was about to answer her when Optimus' voice resonated through the cab.

"I do not mind in the slightest Tessa. Sleep for as long as you like."

"Thank you, Optimus, and thank **you** Cordelia." She laid down on the worn mattress, bringing her knees up to her chest. Her blue eyes closed, and her breathing slowed to a regular, steady rhythm. I perched on the end of the bed, hugging my knees. I rested my head on top of my knees and let the motion of Optimus' driving lull me to sleep.

.o

It felt like no time at all had passed when I opened my eyes. We'd arrived at the gas station which was eerily quiet. We got out of the cab and Optimus transformed, his right hand coming down in a hard punch on the ground.

"My deepest sympathies, for the loss of your friend. Stay here until I am sure we weren't followed. We are all targets now." He folded back into the flat-nosed truck, the passenger door clicking open. "Come with me Lia." I climbed in, shutting the door behind me. He rolled back onto the road and headed south. "I'm going to drive in a circle approximately fifty-five miles in diameter. I will be able to ascertain if anybody has attempted to follow us." His holoform appeared in the driver's seat, his face etched with concern. "Have you been hurt?" he asked, his cool metal hand coming up to stroke my face. I shook my head. He opened the glove box and produced my sling, tying it around me securely. "I swiped it up in all the confusion," he said, an answer to my unspoken question. "Is your wrist sore?"

"No more than it was before. Do you think they followed us?" Optimus shook his head.

"It's unlikely. They used an awful lot of their resources in trying to catch me. They will need to regroup and think of a new strategy. That gives us a small head-start. We need to take advantage of it." His tone was clipped, his words terse. I watched as he gripped the wheel tightly, drumming his fingers on the top.

"Optimus, talk to me. Don't hold it in." He simulated a sigh, rubbing his face with his palm.

"Another human has died because of me. Because of **what** I am. Because of the threat that I pose to this planet!" He punched the steering wheel and the truck veered slightly to the right. "And do you know the worst part of it all? I was **glad.** The only thing I could think of was 'thank the AllSpark that it wasn't _my_ Lia.' What kind of a person does that make me Cordelia?!" His voice rose half an octave as he grappled to maintain control.

"It makes you, **you.** Optimus, none of us are perfect, not even you. When you love someone as deeply as you and I do, it's only natural to be thankful when someone else gets hurt and not the person you care for. Hell, you don't think **I've** been glad when one of the other 'bots has taken a beating instead of you?! The thought isn't nice, I admit that, but it DOES NOT make you a bad person. Geez Optimus, you are the most selfless, caring person I have ever met."

"How is it that you always know what to say?" I shrugged and put a hand on his knee.

"I dunno, I just say what pops into my head most of the time. Now, are **you** hurt?"

"Negative. I am fine. At the earliest opportunity, I will scan a new vehicle mode. It will alleviate the rest of my injuries."

"Okay. So long as you've not undone all the good work Cade did on you." He chuckled.

"Don't you worry about that little one. I'm as fit as a violin."

"As fit as a what?"

"A violin. You know, the smallest member of the string family?"

"You mean a fiddle?" He frowned.

"You know what I mean."

"I know, I'm just teasing you." He smiled and draped a long arm around me.

"Sleep little one. I'll wake you if anything happens." I leaned into his comforting embrace, sleep finding me easily.

.o

We were back at the abandoned gas station when Optimus woke me. I jumped out of the cab and he transformed behind me, staying low to the ground.

Cade and Tessa ran out of the gas station, each carrying a small carboard box.

"We've got some supplies; dunno how long we'll be on the run for. Just some old food, y'know, trail mix and potato chips and stuff. It's years old but it's better than nothin'." Cade popped the box down on the ground, where Optimus proceeded to look through it, his huge fingers delicately moving things aside.

"That is a good idea Cade. It can go in the sleeper."

"Tessa's got an old computer monitor – I managed to get some footage off a drone I stole when those government guys attacked us. It might be able to tell us why the government has started to attack you guys." Tessa approached Optimus shyly, toying with something in her hands.

"Um, Optimus? I have something for you."

"Oh?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"It's nothing – it's stupid really – I mean it's really for both of you." As she spoke, Optimus lowered his head until it was only a few feet above the ground. He hovered behind me, curious optics glued to the item in Tessa's grasp. If she was at all perturbed by his close proximity, she didn't show it. She produced a long piece of blue string that had been looped through a homemade dreamcatcher. She held it up for Optimus to see, and his optics took on a slightly glazed expression. "It's a dreamcatcher – it catches bad dreams. My mom taught me how to make 'em – I found the string and some old wire and just sort of knotted it together – it's not perfect, but I couldn't not give you anything. I mean, you saved our lives, so thank you." Optimus reached up and took the dreamcatcher from Tessa with the utmost gentleness. The dreamcatcher looked like an elastic band in his huge fingers.

"Thank you, Tessa, that is a very thoughtful gift. Do you want to see Cordelia?" His fingers hovered over my hands as he gently dropped the dreamcatcher into my waiting palms. It was light and delicate, and utterly beautiful.

"It's wonderful Tessa, thank you." I turned to Optimus. "Where would you like to hang it from?"

"Perhaps from my rear-view mirror? If we double knot it, it won't get damaged when I transform." Tessa offered him a sad smile. "Thank you, Tessa, it is a wonderful gift."

"You're welcome, I'm glad you like it." Suddenly, a puzzled look came over Optimus' face.

"Where is Shane?" Tessa's face fell at his words. Cade scowled.

"He's gone. Ran off sayin' it was all too 'intense' for him. He had best hope I don't ever see him again." Tessa sniffed and Cade pulled her into a hug. "It's alright darlin'. I'm here and I'm not goin' anywhere." Optimus frowned.

"I am sorry to hear that. Do you think he will-"

"Talk? No. And even if he does – who would believe him? I know _I_ wouldn't. What's the plan Prime?"

"We reunite with the other Autobots. Let's roll."


	12. Chapter 12

We made our way to a truck stop which had 'Hole in the wall' emblazoned on the rock face in Hollywood-style letters. Optimus remained in vehicle mode, Tessa and I reclining in the front whilst Cade tried to manipulate the drone to put his card into an ATM.

"Won't that alert them to our location?" I asked, leaning on Optimus' open driver door.

"Don't worry about that little one, we will be long gone by the time Cemetery Wind arrives here. It is to throw them off our scent." Cade nodded.

"He's right – I know my account's been frozen, but those agents will be on this straight away."

"We'll go in the opposite direction – Cemetery Wind will think that we are heading towards Houston. I've hacked into the ATM to make it look like Cade's card purchased gas in Houston. We will head to Monument Valley."

Cade stood, placing the drone and the monitor back into the cardboard box and placed it in the passenger foot well. He settled into the driver's seat, Tessa on the passenger side and me in the sleeper. Optimus rolled onto the road, accelerating quickly. He drove for several hours, switching from highway to highway until we were on the road that would lead us into Monument Valley.

"How many of the other Autobots are you gonna meet up with?" Cade asked, breaking a long and pregnant silence. A light flashed on the dashboard as Optimus spoke.

"I do not yet know. I will end out a contact message when we are closer to Monument Valley. Do any of you require anything?"

"Nah, we're good thanks. We got water and chips here, that alright with you Lia?" He turned around to look at me.

"Mhm, that's great thanks Cade!"

Nothing more was said after that, and we spent the remainder of the drive in a companionable silence. Tessa dozed while Cade fiddled with the drone he'd filched from Cemetery Wind. The scenery stayed the same rusty-orange with flecks of greenery splattered throughout. Optimus flicked the radio on and Demi Lovato's _Lionheart_ filled the cab.

I smiled and pulled my knees up to my chest, the soft mattress a comfort at my back. A red light on Optimus' dashboard flashed as Optimus sent out a loud message over his comm link.

"Calling all Autobots. Calling all Autobots." Suddenly the truck jolted and the interior began to change. Through the windows I could see the rusty paint flecking off like autumn leaves from the trees. In place of the dirty white paint job, a brilliant shade of cobalt blue appeared. The truck was raised up higher on its wheels, offering me a clearer view of the road ahead. Blue flames snaked up the hood, stopping just before the windscreen. The seats changed to sleek black leather with red and blue stitching on the headrest, forming the Autobot symbol. The steering wheel changed to a walnut trim and the words 'Western Star' appeared on the glove box. The dreamcatcher that Tessa had made swung innocently from the rear-view mirror.

Optimus turned off of the road and onto the sandy shrub. His tyres sent up the orange sand, but he still managed to drive over it with no problem. In the distance of the heat haze I could see three fast-moving shapes on the road. The one out in front was a faded black colour with hints of yellow on the roof and doors. A military truck was following close behind, a deep green khaki colour. A Corvette Stingray brought up the rear, its lime green paint job glistening in the sunlight. They sped closer and closer, and then a blue and black helicopter appeared on the horizon, drifting nearer.

Optimus skidded to a halt, both doors clicking open. I followed Tessa and Cade out of the cab. Behind us, Optimus transformed into his robot mode in a whirl of vehicle parts and noises. His right hand came down hard on the ground in a tight fist, leaving a small crater. His head popped up between his shoulders as his chest armour settled into place. He rose to his feet, blotting out the sun with his huge outline.

Scanning the new truck had caused his body to completely change. He had an overall more streamlined appearance; his joints subtler and less angular than they had been before. The chunky boxiness of the windscreen no longer made up his chest. Instead the doors sat over his chest whilst the fuel lines and parts that made up his engine sat where his pectoral muscles would be. The red Autobot symbol was situated proudly in the centre of his chest, directly over the armour that protected his Spark chamber. There was a silver collar adorned around his neck, his shoulders kitted out with thick and shiny blue armour. There were smokestacks rising out of his 'shoulder blades', vaguely reminiscent of angel's wings. A large piece of codpiece armour hung from the front of his waist, coming down to finish at his knees. His legs were longer and instead of the knee armour that had jutted out previously, he now had a complete 'knee-cap'. His feet now resembled large, flat boots. His 'toes' were gone completely. When he turned to look down at me, I saw that his face had also changed. He still had his ear finials and audio covers, but his nose was smaller and more refined. His face looked more human somehow; the lines across his cheeks could be laughter lines. He'd lost the glyphs on his cheek plates, instead they were emblazoned down his shoulder armour. I was pleased to see his optics tilt up the same way they always did when he smiled, meaning they had not changed.

He knelt to regard us more on our level.

"Geez! How did you do that?!" Cade rubbed the back of his neck.

"Quite simply. I scanned a new vehicle form appropriate for my size and mass. My t-cog arranged the parts accordingly." Cade didn't reply but looked into the horizon at the approaching vehicles. Optimus stood again, no doubt his optics focusing on the nearing cars. I craned my neck to look up at him.

"Are they-"

"They are indeed little one. Do you want a better view?" He didn't wait for my answer but knelt down, wrapped his fingers around me and lifted me into the air. He helped me onto his shoulder. "Be careful, hold on tight" he said, his hand hovering behind me. I grabbed onto the metal 'collar' and knelt. I could see all of our surroundings, including the cars. Tessa and Cade suddenly looked much smaller, and despite everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, I allowed a wide grin onto my face. I leaned against the side of Optimus' head, feeling content for the first time in a long time. "Do you see them Lia?"

"Yes! They're nearly here!" Optimus walked forward just as an old Camaro skidded to a halt at his feet. Optimus' hand came up to meet me and I scooted myself into his now larger palm. He set me down on the ground and I ran forward just as the Camaro finished transforming.

"Bumblebee!" I shouted, jumping into his waiting hands. I was brought up to his black and yellow chest, his arms enveloping me in an Autobot bear hug. His voice clicked excitedly and his radio cycled through a dozen different stations in the space of a few seconds. He held me up to his face, looking at me with inquisitive optics. He frowned.

"You lost weight. You're too light." I rolled my eyes at him.

"And you worry too much. Oh Bee, it's been so long."

"I know squirt. I've missed you too." I nuzzled into his chest, listening to his Spark hum happily behind its casing. Bumblebee approached Optimus and the two friends shook hands. "It's good to see you sir."

"Likewise, Bumblebee. How have you been?"

"I've taken command sir. Obviously, I'll relinquish that to you now. We didn't know if you were online or not." Bumblebee set me down on the ground, and suddenly I was surrounded by a forest of legs.

"Who's tha stowaways?" A thick Cockney accent sounded, followed by the click of a gun. Optimus hurried over to the source.

"Crosshairs, Hound, stop! They risked their lives for ours. We owe **them**." Crosshairs and Hound lowered their weapons. Optimus beckoned me forward. "Crosshairs, Hound; this is my Cordelia." I waved to them sheepishly.

"Hey. It's nice to meet you." Hound, the bigger of the two, knelt.

"Sheesh, you're titchy small. Ain't she small Crosshairs? For a human I mean." The Corvette knelt as well, taking off what looked like a pair of googles and peered down at me.

"The name's Crosshairs. Why you got red fluff on your head?"

Self-consciously my hand went up to fiddle with my auburn hair. "It's my hair. Why, don't you like the colour red?" I surprised myself at my boldness.

"Naw, I like **that** red. I'm gonna call you Red."

"Crosshairs, her name is _Cordelia._ " Optimus said with just a hint of annoyance.

"I know that Prime, but I'm still gonna call 'er Red. That alright with you Red?"

I shrugged, smiling a little. "Sure Crosshairs, call me whatever you like." Crosshairs grinned widely and rose to his feet. Behind him, the blue and black helicopter fell gracefully from the sky. It transformed into a tall, sleek robot, the rotors of the helicopter forming the Samurai style swords that hung at his back. He approached Optimus, bowing low.

" _Sensei._ It is an honour to see you again. Where is your young friend?" He spoke with a thick Japanese accent, which suited him perfectly as his robot mode looked just like a Samurai warrior. Optimus smiled at him warmly and took his hand in a friendly grasp.

"It is an honour to see you again Drift. Cordelia? Come and meet Drift." I approached the two mechs shyly. Optimus knelt, holding his hand out to me. "Drift, meet my Cordelia." Drift lowered himself to one knee, extending a finger towards me.

"Ah, Miss Cordelia, it is a pleasure. You are as a lotus blooming from the earth. Please, call me Drift." I shook his finger and smiled.

"It's great to meet you Drift. Call me Lia or Cordelia, I don't really mind which." Drift smiled and got to his feet. His optics narrowed when they fell on Bumblebee.

"I see you made it here in one piece pup. Didn't need to stop for a wash and wax?" Bumblebee growled and was about to retort when Optimus intervened.

"Enough. There is not time to quarrel amongst ourselves. We will settle here for the night and formulate a plan of action."

.o

As night fell, Cade managed to get a small fire going. The three of us sat around it, Tessa and I wrapped up in thick blankets to keep out the cold bite of the night air. I stirred around the rice and beans in my plastic container, eating them out of necessity and not true hunger. Optimus paced the small (to him) campsite, trying hard to mask his agitation.

"So there's been no sign of any others?" Optimus' voice sounded hopeful but sad at the same time.

"Nada. None." Hound didn't look up from the huge rifle that he was cleaning.

"We are all that's left." Drift was sharpening one of his blades, his demeanour grim.

"We're the pathetic dirty foursome, and you make five. Technically eight if you count titch and the other squishies." Hound shrugged when Optimus eyed him through narrowed optics. "What? They **are** squishy." Optimus simulated a sigh.

"Autobots; humans are hunting us, and Lockdown is helping. We **need** to know _why._ " Cade finished off the last of his beans and stood.

"I have no idea about why, but I do have an idea about who. Lemme show you the footage I managed to get off the drone I stole."

"Let me assist you with my projector." Drift folded himself into a Lamborghini Aventado. Cade swung himself into the passenger seat and plugged the drone into a little port on the dash. Drift projected grainy and jumpy images onto the rock face. They depicted multiple attacks on Autobots, but the images were too quick and grainy for my human eyes to make out who they were. Hound swore softly at one of the images.

"That's Leadfoot." He took a part of his helm off like a helmet that I hadn't noticed before. "Savages."

"They attack the bots, and then this truck with 'KSI' written on it comes an' hauls 'em off. Kinetic Solutions. Their headquarters are based in Chicago."

Hound spat out a piece of jagged metal. "No way to get inside without a battle."

Optimus walked into the centre of the cluster of Autobots. His face was downcast and solemn. "Autobots. We leave for Chicago at first light. Get some recharge – you'll need it." I rose from the log and walked over to him. He bent down and picked me up, walking a little ways away from the other Autobots.

He sat down with his back against the rock face, pulling one knee up to his chest. I moved to assume my usual position on his palm, but his thumb was further back on his new hand than it had been on his old one. He chuckled lightly as I fumbled to grasp it, but it was forced. I ran a hand up his silver palm, surprised by the smoothness of it. He noticed this and lifted his free hand to examine.

"These hands have not yet been scarred by battle. They have not yet been scarred by death, by killing, by this damned **war**!" He slammed his fist into the rock, sending huge chunks of loose stone cascading to the ground. "These hands that have destroyed. These hands that have extinguished Sparks. These hands that know nothing except destruction." He lowered his gaze, his clenched fist loosening. I stood in his palm, my sudden movement causing him to snap his head up.

"No. You're wrong." His optic ridges lifted in confusion. "You're wrong. Yes, your hands **have** known war, destruction and death, but that have known _so_ much more than that. They have known tenderness, gentleness and compassion. They have known kindness, gratitude and miracles. They have protected and embraced, defended and led! These are the safest and most powerful hands in the universe, and it is a PRIVILEGE to know and be held by them." I took his now larger index finger in my own hands. "And most importantly Optimus, these hands have known _**love**_." He gazed at me in quiet amazement, his optics growing misty. He raised me to his face and held me against it.

"What in the universe did I do to deserve someone like you in my life?" he wondered aloud, his voice husky. He pulled back, a small amount of liquid present in his azure blue optics. His audial covers rotated this way and that as he warred with his emotions. "I cannot tell you how angry I am Cordelia. This anger _frightens_ me." I rubbed his thumb, moving my hand in small circles on the smooth metal. "I came to this planet with the intention of saving humanity. I **still** want to save humanity. I have seen friends tortured and killed. Good mechs who gave their Sparks without a second thought! And how are they repaid? With unprovoked attacks?! I can't understand it Lia; I really can't. Humanity is sowing the seeds of their own destruction!" The fingers on the hand he held me in twitched.

"I know. I know. And I am so, _**so**_ sorry Optimus." **That** made him frown.

"Why in the world are you sorry little one?" I squirmed uncomfortably in his palm.

"Because I'm part of the race that's treating you so badly. I'm ashamed." He brought me to his face again.

"No. **Never** be ashamed of who you are Cordelia. You think I'm angry with you? Because you're human?" I nodded. "Never. I will **never** judge a race based on the actions of a few. I love you with all that I am Cordelia; never forget that."

Now it was _my_ turn to go misty-eyed. "Okay." I planted a small kiss on his nose. I felt his faceplates move in a tiny smile.

"Now, you need to sleep." He wrapped each of his colossal fingers around me while he moved to lay down. "Ugh. Sand is annoying to lay in." He set me down on his vast chest, which was flatter and honestly more comfortable to lie on. He produced a blanket which looked like a handkerchief in his hand, and draped it over me.

"Optimus?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but are you bigger?" He chuckled, and this time it was genuine.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to notice."

"Well, you _look_ taller and your hand definitely _felt_ bigger when I was sitting in it just now."

"You're not wrong little one."

"So how tall are you now?"

I could almost hear his grin as he answered me. "I am now approximately thirty-two feet tall." My mouth fell open.

"How have you gained another five feet?! That's another **person**!" His chest moved up and down with the light motion of his chuckle. "You need to stop hogging all the height."

"I can't help your lack of height little one." I dug him in the chest with my elbow and snuggled into the blanket. His left hand came over to enclose me in a giant 'hand hug' as we called them, his thumb acting as a pillow. Just as my eyes were drifting shut, my mind suddenly burned with another question.

"Optimus?"

"Mhm?"

"How can Drift have two separate vehicle modes? First he transformed from a helicopter and then later on he was a car – how is that possible? I mean he didn't have time to scan a new vehicle mode."

"Drift is different from the majority of Cybertronians. In fact, he is something of a rareity on Cybertron. He is what is known as a 'triple-changer', meaning that he has three modes instead of two; he has two vehicular modes and the standard robot mode. The reason triple-changers have two different vehicle modes is because they have two T-cogs. Each T-cog stores a separate string of data that is responsible for transforming. It is a rare phenomenon, and a useful strategic asset."

"Wow, that's awesome! I didn't even know that was possible. Is it something you can acquire?"

"No. Mechs emerge from the AllSpark with either one or two T-cogs. There is no way known of acquiring an extra one. Medics have tried for countless centuries, unsuccessful in each and every attempt. It is not understood very well, but it is thought it has something to do with data and software not being compatible. Ratchet will be able to explain it better than I can."

I yawned and turned onto my side. "Are you warm enough?"

"Mhm." Tiredness was dominant in my voice. His hand curled around me more securely, enveloping me in a fortress of warmth and safety.

"Aren't the stars beautiful? We must do this more once we get home." I felt my heart surge with joy as he said 'home'. I turned to look up at the sky. The stars were indeed beautiful, white sparkling jewels against the inky back-drop of the velvet sky. The moon was full and bright; a luminescent pearl amongst the cluster of stars.

"Home?"

"Yes. Back in Montana. I'm rather fond of the ranch."

"Me too Optimus, me too."

"We'll get back there someday little one, I promise. Now, get some sleep. We've got a busy day tomorrow."

.o

As always, Optimus kept true to his word. After a quick breakfast of trail mix and water, we were on the road. Tessa and Cade elected to ride with Bumblebee on the notion that they wanted to get to know him better. Bumblebee was only too pleased to get to know the man who had pretty much saved Optimus' life.

We'd been on the road for about six hours – mostly in silence. Optimus' windows in his new vehicle form were dark enough that he could use his robotic holoform without the fear of being seen by other drivers. He sat in the driver's seat, one hand resting on top of the wheel whilst the other held it loosely at the bottom. Even driving with his holoform, he was totally relaxed. He shifted up and down the gearbox easily, his foot at home on the clutch pedal. Bumblebee and Crosshairs were in front of us whilst Hound and Drift brought up the rear. I remembered their altercation last night.

"Do Bumblebee and Drift not get on?"

"Ah. Drift is a big believer in honour and dignity. He feels that Bumblebee lacks these things, and was therefore not fit to lead during my absence. I also believe he is resentful of the fact that Bumblebee led the Autobot successfully, despite being so much younger than he."

I raised an eyebrow. "Bee is younger than Drift?" Optimus nodded.

"Indeed. Bumblebee is younger than Drift by many thousands of years. Bumblebee is still considered a youngster; an adolescent if you will."

"Oh. That kind of makes sense." Optimus smiled.

"Bumblebee has one of the purest and most mischievous Sparks I have ever known. He likes to push his boundaries and see how far he can get. Bumblebee will do anything for anyone – especially you."

"Me?"

"Mhm. He has – how do you say it? A soft patch for you."

I laughed gently. "Do you mean a 'soft spot'?"

He rolled his optics in mock annoyance. "Argh. You know what I mean little one." I rached around to try and scratch an itch caused by the label of my borrowed top. I couldn't quite reach it so I moved to undo my seatbelt so that I could reach it better. "Ah-ah. I'll get it for you." I smiled to myself at his overprotectiveness. "May I?" I nodded and turned in my seat to give him access to my back. His cool metal hand slid underneath my top to find purchase between my shoulder blades. "Here?" I nodded and he began to move his hand up and down, his strong fingers bringing welcome relief to my itching skin. He'd matched his robotic holoform to his new body and his new hands were huge, even human sized. He rubbed my skin for a few more seconds before placing his hand back on the steering wheel. "That better for you?"

"Yeah, thank you. Hey, lemme see your hand for a sec." He looked at me, an amused expression on his face, but he placed one of his huge hands in my outstretched ones. I held it in both hands, running my fingers over the smooth metal. On the back of his hand, four silver lines ran from his knuckles to the base of his wrist. His fingers were wider and more rounded than they had been before, no longer square-tipped. They were larger and looked somehow stronger than before. I turned his hand over so that his palm was facing upwards. I placed my own hand palm down on it, the heels of our hands touching. My fingers only came up to the middle of his, dwarfing me at even this size. Optimus noticed, his fingers closing slowly around mine.

"You're an even smaller little one now." His tone was teasing. I looked at my small hand enveloped in his and smiled at him.

" _I_ didn't get smaller, _you_ got bigger." He laughed quietly and grazed my knuckles with his thumb.

"Were you comfortable enough last night? You weren't too cold?"

I shook my head. "I was plenty warm enough thanks, and I slept like a baby. It's flatter than before – your chest I mean."

Optimus nodded. "Yes, my thoracic armour is more tightly 'packed in', as it were. My Spark chamber is more heavily protected now."

"Good." We drove in silence for a few more miles until the sky darkened and the light pat-pat of rain started on Optimus' windows. He started the windscreen wipers, more for the sake of appearance rather than actual need. Progressively it got heavier and heavier, and the sound brought back the memories of Cemetery Winds' bullets ringing through Optimus' cab. He noticed, squeezing my hand gently. "How do you know?"

"Your cortisol levels have risen slightly. Are you hungry at all?"

"No thanks – I can eat some crisps later if I need to."

"They're not very nutritious."

"I know, but they'll tide me over for now." Optimus sighed but didn't persist.

.o

It was twilight when we arrived in Chicago. The sky was a dull grey and rain darkened the pavement in black spots.

We drove through the centre of the city, the grey buildings matching the back-drop of the bleak sky. Chicago looked as if a battle had never happened. The buildings that had been razed to the ground had been masterfully rebuilt and new buildings were under heavy construction. Optimus shifted his holoform to its human guise. I had to laugh at the Stetson hat placed on his head. He turned to look at me, his wrinkled blue eyes incredulous.

"You find my attire amusing?" The mock indignation in his voice only fuelled my laughter.

"Only the hat. I never thought I'd see Optimus Prime wearing a hat – least of all a cowboy hat!" That made him chortle.

"I guess I had better not let the other Autobots see me like this then,"

"I dunno, I think the other bots will be up for a laugh," I teased.

"There is an abandoned church on the edge of the suburbs. It will only take about fifteen minutes to drive to the KSI factory from there."

"Is that where we're going to stay?"

"Yes. The location is convenient and we are not likely to be bothered by anybody." We arrived at the church and I hopped out of the cab, glad of the chance to stretch my legs. Optimus' human holoform materialised beside me as the rest of the Autobots pulled up. Tessa and Cade got out of Bumblebee and Cade started at the sight of Optimus.

"Woah! Get away from her!" Optimus stepped forward.

"Easy Cade. It's me." Cade's blue eyes widened in surprise.

"What the-how in the-how are you human?!"

"I am utilising a human-shaped holoform. I can touch, be touched and mimic every aspect of the human body, right down to the heartbeat." Cade scratched the back of his neck and whistled.

"Well that's uh – that's really sumthin' Optimus." Optimus smiled and motioned for us to enter the church.

.o

An hour later, we were all settled in the church, which was completely empty, save for two dusty couches, a candle stand and a few religious figurines. The stained-glass windows hadn't seen a good clean for a few years at the very least, judging by the thick layer of dust that covered them. Tessa was curled up under a blanket on one couch whilst I occupied the other. Cade sat hunched over a paper in the corner, Optimus and the other Autobots looming over him. They murmured quietly to each other, working out a plan.

Tessa shifted under her blanket.

"Have you and Optimus really spent the last year and a half on the run?" Her cornflower eyes were curious.

"Yes. Well – we hid for most of it. We rented a small house up in Canada. It was nice, but it wasn't home."

"Don't you have family?" She braided her golden hair into a loose plait.

"Kind of. There's one person at home who I consider a father, but we're not blood relatives."

"Does he know you're here?"

I shook my head. "No. It wasn't safe for him to know where we were – just in case Cemetery Wind went after him too. I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to him because of me."

"I'm sure you'll see him again soon." She said, trying and failing to suppress a yawn. "I'm bushed Lia, I've gotta sleep. Goodnight." She turned to lay on her side, snuggling right under the blanket, leaving me to my waking thoughts.


	13. Chapter 13

Cade and Optimus spent the night devising a plan about KSI. Bumblebee made Cade a fake identification card which would allow him access into KSI's factory.

I was sitting with Tessa on one of the old couches, taking stock of our canned food while Optimus and Cade went through their plan for the umpteenth time. Cade had drawn a loosely accurate floor plan of KSI's factory. Case was leaning over it on his hands and knees. Optimus loomed over the rough drawing, hilariously on all fours. Like that, his huge body took up almost a quarter of the church's available floorspace. He seemed reluctant to use his robotic holoform in front of the others.

Cade chewed his pencil thoughtfully. "This back entrance here – that's where new vehicles go in for sumthin' called 'scanning', he said, jabbing a finger on the drawing. Optimus lowered himself further, scrutinising the drawing with great interest. He placed a huge fingertip near Cade.

"The scans of the stolen drone revealed an underground space. It would stand to reason that this is the area in which they are performing their research, and possibly holding Ratchet." His sonorous baritone sounded deeper in the empty church's impressive acoustics. Tessa set down the can of peaches she'd been holding and approached her father, kneeling behind him.

"Okay, but what's the use in knowing all of this? What good will it do?" Cade pushed his glasses up so that they rested on top of his head.

"Because, I'm gonna go in with Bee this afternoon, pretending I'm takin' him in for scanning. I'll go in an try and see what they're doin' down there."

"Dad no! It's not safe!" Cade sighed and framed Tessa's face in his tanned hands.

"Sweetie, we gotta know why or we never get our lives back. You don't wanna live the rest of your life lookin' over your shoulder do ya?"

She fixed him with an exasperated expression. "Did you think of that when you brought home the truck?" she flinched as she realised how it sounded. "No offense Optimus."

"None taken Tessa. I understand your concern. It is admirable that you care so deeply for your father." Her eyes softened.

"I guess you're right dad," she said with a sigh. Bumblebee leaped to his feet.

"It'll be okay Tess – he'll be with me!" His funny voice sounded the words strangely, but they were still easy to understand.

I pushed the blanket from my lap and rose from the couch. The paper Cade had drawn the floorplans on looked to be old architect paper, and as I approached them, my foot caught on a curled corner of the paper, sending me flying. I put my hands out automatically, ready to break my fall. I heard a whirring of machinery behind me, followed by the soft hiss of moving joints. The floor didn't sail up to meet me, instead staying in the same place, my arms hanging limply at my sides. There was a pulling sensation of my top being tugged upwards as a smooth metal palm appeared beneath me. The tugging sensation disappeared as I was deposited gently in the huge hand. I twisted around to face Optimus, a sheepish grin on my face.

His blue optics tilted upwards in his small smile. "Cordelia, what am I going to do with you, hmm?" I felt my cheeks and neck growing warmer as blood rushed to the surface of my skin. "You didn't hurt your wrist again?" I shook my head. "Good. The tear is starting to heal." He rose to his feet, not straightening to his full height as the domed ceiling of the church was too low. He moved over to the cluster of stained glass windows, sitting down carefully to avoid chipping the stone wall with any part of his body. He assumed his favourite position; one leg stretched out and one knee pulled close to his chest. He lifted the hand I was sitting on and gently maneuvered me onto his knee. "Are you comfortable there?"

"Yes thanks. Um…thanks for catching me." He smiled again.

"Cordelia, catching you when you trip or fall has become second nature to me."

"What will the rest of us do while Cade and Bumblebee are infiltrating KSI?"

"Hopefully kill sumthin'!" Hound's voice echoed through the church, resounding in my ribs.

"Hound. Enough." Optimus' toned was short and clipped. Hound waved a nonchalant hand in our general direction, but said nothing more. "Hound is hoping to avenge Ironhide's death." Optimus said, his voice low. I raised my eyebrows in confusion.

"Why?"

Optimus' gaze flickered to Hound, over to me and then back to Hound. "Hound and Ironhide were bonded. The loss is still extremely raw for him." I looked over at Hound and in my mind's eye I could see them together easily. I could see how they would fit together like two puzzle pieces. Ironhide's toughness and Hound's gruffness, like salt and vinegar.

"I didn't know that."

"If you want, I'll tell ya about the ol' fool." I jumped at the sound of Hound's voice. I turned on Optimus's knee to face him. "Boss?"

"It's up to Cordelia, Hound." Hound extended a hand towards me.

"Wanna hear some stories about an ol' fool?" I climbed into his waiting hand. "You alright with heights titch?"

"Yup, part of the package after living with Optimus for ten years."

Hound laughed, a rough gravely sound. "Fair enough." He lifted me onto his shoulder. He was much smaller than Optimus, so he could stand easily in the church. Optimus got to his feet.

"In answer to your question Lia, the rest of us will remain close to KSI in the event that we are needed for back up. There is a disused car park behind the KSI facility. I will go and ensure that we have everything we need." He moved away.

"What do you wanna know titch?" Hound's optics were bright.

"How long were you and Ironhide bonded for?"

"About twelve thousand years, in your time measurements anyway. I wanted to come to Earth with him; we fought over it, but that bucket of bolts reassured me he would be fine. An' he was right, until that traitor snuffed his Spark!" His thick frame shook with barely suppressed anger. "By Primus I miss that idiot." I patted his shoulder a little awkwardly. "C'mon titch, the boss is getting ready to roll." He eased himself carefully out of the wide church doors. He let me down on the ground and transformed behind me.

Optimus' human holoform lightly touched my shoulder. "Ready to go?"

"Yup!" He wrapped a long arm around my waist and lifted me into his cab.

.o

Less than one hour later we were parked just behind KSI in the disused car park. It was decrepit and thoroughly devoid of any activity whatsoever.

Cade had gone in wearing the drone, which he'd modified to fit onto a discreet wire underneath his clothing. He was able to transmit the live-time images he captured via the drone to Optimus. The images appeared on the ceiling of Optimus' cab, depicting a cold, clinical environment. Wires trailed along the floor and up the wall, connected to various pieces of machinery. People in white coats bustled about the lab, adjusting numerous dials and switches. Suddenly, Ratchet's head flashed on the ceiling. Bile rose in my throat. I jumped out of Optimus' cab as his interior began to shift around me.

He walked over to the wall marking the edge of the car park, knelt and slammed his fist into it.

"They slaughtered Ratchet!" The force of his blow desecrated the wall and knocked a lamp post clean out of its fixture. He scooped me up, and then we were running; running down the street in broad daylight. People gawked up at the thundering Autobots, running to get out of their way. Cars squealed to a halt, their tyres screaming noisily on the road.

I held on tightly to Optimus' fingers; the motion of his run sending me bouncing this way and that on his palm. He looked down at me, his battle mask across his mouth and nose. "Cover your head Lia!" I did as he said, his other hand coming up to cup over me.

I felt the huge jolt as his body collided with something, the unmistakeable tinkle of breaking glass sounding around us. Optimus opened his hands again and I saw that we were inside the KSI building. Optimus ran for the stairs, his long stride clearing them in two effortless steps. Drift transformed into his aerial mode and hovered upwards, Bumblebee hanging on tightly to the legs.

Optimus covered me with his other hand once more as he smashed through a wall and into KSI's basement. He reached around to his back to retrieve his rifle, simultaneously placing me on his shoulder. "Hold tight little one, and cover your audios!" I clamped my hands over me ears just as he bellowed, the sound vibrating behind my ribs and sternum. "Destroy the lab! Destroy it ALL!"

KSI's robotic drones burst into flames and miniature explosions under the Autobots' fire. I held on tightly to the metal 'collar' as he shot up the laboratory. The workers fled in all direction. "Get out, ALL OF YOU!" Optimus let out another enraged bellow. Furious as he was at the loss of Ratchet, at the loss of his _friends,_ he still took great care not to fire at any humans. In a barrage of smoke, fire and bullets that lasted no more than forty seconds, the lab was rendered completely useless.

"Hey! Stop! That's company property!" A bald man dressed in a sharp suit and black framed glasses approached us, no fear present in his arrogant stride.

"They're not **YOUR** property!" Optimus' tone was cold and laced with pure, undiluted fury. " **They** were my _**friends**_." Hound cocked his gun, ready to fire. The tiny Autobot known as 'Brains' was perched on the end of it.

"Aww, you ain't so tough now you got Hound in front of ya huh?"

The bald man smirked. "Go ahead. Show us your true colours once and for all."

Hound uttered a guttural snarl. "Just give me the word, I'll splatter him." Optimus raised a restraining hand to Hound.

The bald man continued. "Why don't you tell Itchy Fingers here" he nodded to Hound, "that THIS is all the spoils of war. **Dead metal.** Innovation. What we do here is science, because if we don't do it, somebody else will. Because you CANNOT stop technology!"

Optimus placed a hand over my body, keeping me securely on his shoulder. "We're **NOT** your _technology_!" He hissed, kicking a lone office chair, sending it sailing through a pane of glass, which smashed into thousands and thousands of pieces.

"Lemme vaporise his ass." Hound snarled.

"I broke the _code._ I _own_ your **whole** genome." Optimus knelt to regard the man.

"The world will know what you're doing here!"

"The world? The world will **approve**. We can _make_ you now. Don't you get it? We don't _**need**_ you anymore."

My blood ran cold in my veins as I too, felt rage consume me. I leapt from Optimus' shoulder. The man gasped, only now noticing me for the first time. I went up to him, only reaching the top of his shoulder. I pushed him as hard as I could, the rage fuelling my strength. He stumbled backwards for a few steps.

"Fuck you! Fuck you, you fucking piece of shit!" I spat the words at him, hot, angry tears spilling down my cheeks.

"Way to go Red!" Crosshairs' voice was approving.

I looked down to see Optimus' fingers wrapping themselves gently around my waist. He lifted me slowly, as if trying not to aggravate an old injury. "Autobots. We're done." He held me close to his chest, his spark humming furiously behind its casing. He walked slowly out of the basement, back through the hole in the wall, back down the stairs, through the lobby and back through the giant hole in the shattered glass window. Cade and Tessa were already waiting outside with Bumblebee. Optimus set me down and wordlessly transformed back into a Western Star truck. I climbed in and strapped myself in. Tessa and Cade got into Bumblebee as the other Autobots folded themselves into their vehicle modes. We rolled onto the road and soon enough we were out of the city altogether.

Optimus' robot holoform appeared next to me and I could almost see the tension rolling off of him. He gripped the steering wheel tightly in one hand, his other hand worrying over his face. I reached out and laid a hand on his forearm. "Optimus…I'm _so_ sorry."

"I can't believe it Lia, truly I can't. Ratchet…dead? I saw him with my own optics, and I can see it in my memory banks, but I can't believe it." Suddenly a look of grim determination came over his face. "How does that saying go? If they **DARE** to try and hurt you, may God have mercy on their souls." His optics flared like twin supernova. "Autobots, proceed north. We will-" he stopped in mid-sentence, looking in his side mirror. "Galvatron and Stinger are in pursuit. They are under KSI's control." He addressed the Autobots once more. "Autobots, we are being followed by KSI's man-made prototypes. Take evasive action only. Do **not** initiate attack." He closed the comm link. "I'm going to have to break the speed limit. It may be a bumpy ri-" his words were once more cut short as a rocket whipped past us. Optimus put on a sudden burst of speed that forced me back into my seat. The needle of the speedometer climbed past ninety, inching towards 110 miles per hour. I looked in Optimus' wing mirror and saw a huge flat-nosed truck getting closer and closer. A sleek black and red sports car followed behind. The grey truck smashed through cars effortlessly, flipping them onto their rooves and sending them spinning like spin-top toys.

Bumblebee and the other Autobots kept a tight formation behind us with Bumblebee in the middle. Optimus' new engine had more horsepower than his old one, and he sped forward without so much as a strain or whine from his engine. The needle of the speedometer crept past 120, past 130 and settled on 140 miles per hour. Galvatron and Stinger kept up easily, no more than two hundred yards behind us. The ground was rattled by explosion after explosion, black dust settling on Optimus' windows. Optimus ground his lip plates together.

"We can't outrun them and there are too many civilians around to fight them. We will have to—" for the second time, Optimus' words were cut off by a huge explosion.

A truck in front of us was struck by one of Galvatron's rockets. The blow caused it to jack-knife, its trailer rolling over, orange sparks jumping up off of the road. At the speed he was going, Optimus did not have enough room to come to a full stop. Bumblebee was right behind us, facing the same problem.

Suddenly the seat was no longer underneath me, Optimus' cab no longer around me. We were airborne, Bumblebee in mid-transformation. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as Bumblebee **threw** Cade and Tessa to Optimus. Optimus opened one of his huge hands, wrapping all four fingers securely around Tessa and Cade. His other hand formed a protective barrier around me as we flew through the air. He held us against his chest, using his body to shield us from the flying debris. He started to twist his body, moving me to the hand that he held Tessa and Cade in. His other hand came up to shield us as we sailed over a bridge and straight **through** the trailer of a small truck. As we crossed the bridge, Optimus folded himself back into a truck, tucking Cade, Tessa and I harmlessly into his cab. Tessa was breathing hard and Cade's face and neck were wet with sweat.

In the mirror I saw thousands upon thousands of tiny cubes flying together like a swarm before coming together to form the huge, flat-nosed truck that was Galvatron.

"What the hell?" My voice was barely above a whisper, as if the disbelief had travelled down my throat and into my very lungs. The truck began to gain on us once more. Behind Galvatron I could see Bumblebee, his head perfectly level with the bridge we'd just flown over.

Cade leaned forward in his seat, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on Tessa's knee. "C'mon Optimus! You gotta go!" The speedometer needle began to creep steadily back up, inching past 100, 110 and settling on 120. More rockets soared past us, leaving behind the thick scent of industrial smoke.

Suddenly Cade was thrown from his seat and straight through the open driver door. The cab started to shift for the second time. "Dad!" Tessa yelled, reaching for her father. I grabbed the back of her white leather jacket.

"No! He'll be fine – he rolled onto the grass!" I had no chance to say anymore as Optimus obtained his robot mode, Tessa and I clutched in his left hand. Optimus landed on his back and opened his hand, Tessa and I rolling out of it onto the hard tarmac. He brought his legs over in a backwards roll, his right foot landing mere _inches_ away from me and Tessa. The forced of his landing provided enough momentum for him to slide backwards along the road, one knee bent. Tessa and I rolled along violently underneath him until his right foot slammed into the front of an abandoned SUV, crumpling the bonnet like tinfoil. His huge head came down to look at me.

"Stay down." He didn't give us time to answer, his battle mask sliding smoothly across his face as he sprinted forward to meet Galvatron head on. His footsteps shook the ground. I grabbed Tessa by the wrist and pulled her behind the car.

Optimus and Galvatron were locked in a fight about 200 yards away. Galvatron caught Optimus' jaw with a fierce upper-cut, sending him in a perfect 180-degree arc which resulted in him landing flat on his back. In less time than it took for me to draw a panicked breath into my lungs, Optimus was back on his feet and charging at Galvatron. The sound of their colliding bodies sounded like a demolition derby. Cade emerged from behind another abandoned vehicle, cupping his hands to his mouth.

"Girls! Run to the field!" His words barely reached us over the deafening cacophony of metal against metal.

Tessa and I, still holding hands, made a run for the field right next to the now deserted highway. Just as we made it down the steep bank, the two robots rolled on the ground right next to us, Galvatron slamming Optimus' shoulders into the grass. The concussions in the ground were strong enough to knock Tessa and me off our feet. We rolled the rest of the way down the grassy bank, only just avoiding Galvatron's curled fist. Optimus, now back in control, grabbed Galvatron's shoulders and hauled him to his feet. An orange energon blade shot out of Optimus' right forearm, going straight through the strange hole in the centre of Galvatron's chest. Galvatron grabbed the blade, snapping it like a toothpick.

"You have no soul!" Optimus' voice was accusatory and fearful at the same time.

"That is because I have no fear! You die!" Galvatron spoke, and his voice shot ice straight up my spine. How in the world could he talk if he was man-made? Maybe KSI was somehow speaking for him, or through him.

He grabbed Optimus' arm and threw him in mine and Tessa's direction. He twisted gracefully in the air, using his severed blade to come to a halt as he landed on a bent knee. Tessa and I scrambled out of the way of the fighting titans as their tumbling bodies tore up the ground like paper. We ended up back behind the SUV as Optimus slammed Galvatron into the tarmac, rocking the car on its wheels. A low whistling sound filled my ears, followed by another rocket – no, a **missile** that sped over my head.

I looked around the edge of the car at the same time as Optimus uttered a low, pained grunt. His shoulder had been struck by the missile, his armour dented and jagged. Galvatron transformed and rolled away, just missing Tessa's outstretched legs. A second missile buzzed through the air, this time striking Optimus squarely in the chest. A tall, grey silhouette was visible in the near distance.

 _Lockdown._

Optimus fell to the ground, his head smacking onto the SUV's destroyed bonnet. I climbed into the car, Tessa getting in behind me. Tears stung the back of my eyes. "Optimus, get up!" He struggled to roll his head back to meet my gaze.

"Argh…I can't. Get out of here!" My body would not move. I would **not** leave Optimus.

Lockdown drew closer, kneeling at Optimus' feet.

"I feel sorry for you Prime. Your allegiance to these humans. The trouble with loyalty to the cause, is that the cause will **always** betray you."

"Who sent you?" Optimus' voice was laced with static. He struggled to lift his head off the car.

"Where do you think you came from? You think you were born? No. You were **built** , and your Creators want you back. We **all** work for _someone_." He got to his feet, a mask coming down to completely cover his face. A colossal spaceship hovered above him, reminiscent of an upside-down spider. A smaller vessel detached from it, coming to hover directly over Optimus and the SUV that Tessa and I were taking refuge in. A huge net was fired from it, completely covering Optimus and the car.

Tessa started to panic as we were lifted from the ground. Optimus tried to twist around, but all he succeeded in doing was draping a long arm over the car. "Dad! Dad! Help me!" Through the windows of the car I could see Cade sprinting towards us. He leapt over a piece of debris, using it to vault himself onto the net. He pulled himself up, grabbing onto the back of the car.

"Tess! Tess! Break the glass!" Tessa banged on the window, but try as she might, she could not break it. I saw Optimus' fingers try to press against the glass, but the awkward angle he was in did not allow him to use his full strength. Cade's face was going red with the effort of holding onto the car. "Tess, I can't hold on! I can't hold on!" His hands finally slipped and he plummeted to the ground, rolling to absorb the impact of the landing.

"Dad!" Tears streamed down Tessa's face. "Don't leave me!" I opened my arms and she fell into them. I held her close, wondering what awaited us as we were carried into the bowels of the ship.


	14. Chapter 14

The ship carrying Optimus, Tessa and Cordelia dropped the net onto the floor of Lockdown's ship. The ship was huge and cavernous with walls that loomed ominously high. It was like being inside a mountain. The net covering Optimus fell away like water and he felt himself being moved along the floor by dozens of tiny objects underneath him. He could not move, try as he might. He was flat on his back, struggling to move at all. He managed to look up and see Cordelia and Tessa be taken away by a number of drones. He tried to call out to her, but his vocaliser would not make a sound. He tore his gaze away from Cordelia and looked at Lockdown, eyeing him through narrowed optics.

"Remember this ship, Prime? Built for all you knights; you great _crusaders._ " Optimus said nothing but looked around the ship. He did indeed remember it. He remembered when it had carried valiant heroes home from battle; he remembered it when it had been a vessel that he had been **proud** to travel on. Now it was just a husk, an empty shell of forgotten glory and valour.

Optimus looked away from Lockdown in disgust. "You have disgraced it."

Lockdown ignored Optimus completely, arming himself with his hook. He dug it into Optimus' leg, pulling him roughly across the floor and hanging him by the foot in a small chamber. Optimus was slightly too tall for it; his hands grazing the scarred floor of the ship, sparks following his silver knuckles. Lockdown grabbed him by the face.

"The creators want to sweep their chessboard clean." Lockdown said, retracting his hook back into its compartment.

Optimus growled softly. "I am slave to no one." Lockdown chuckled, a cold and ominous sound that was completely devoid of any benevolence.

"Except that little BITCH that you carry around; you answer to her don't you? You think I don't know about her Prime? She'll be dead in the next hour; if she isn't already."

Optimus growled; the sound emanating deep from within his vocoder. A guttural, **primal** sound that screamed defiance. Lockdown grasped Optimus' face, bringing his own visage into Optimus' personal space. "All this species mixing with species; the Creators don't like it. They built you to do what you were **told.** " Lockdown walked away, leaving Optimus alone with his thoughts.

.o

I looked helplessly at Optimus' disappearing form as we were taken in completely opposite directions. Garbage drones started to pull apart and dismantle the car that Tessa and I had taken shelter in, and we held onto each other as we rolled down a steep ramp and into a small corridor that offered us some protection from the drones. I got shakily to my feet, my legs threatening to give way underneath me. Tessa's white leather jacket was stained with road dust and debris from the fight and our abduction. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear. I reached out for her hand.

"I won't leave you Tessa. I promise. We'll find Optimus and your dad and everything will be okay." I said, hardly believing my own words. Over the last decade I had become adept in the art of lying to myself, at times _almost_ believing the bullshit that came out of my mouth. I had no clue if we would ever find Cade **or** Optimus, and the thought left a black hole of dread in the very pit of my stomach. I had to cling to the hope that I would see Optimus again; I'd done it before and I would damn well do it again.

Tessa nodded, tears painting clean streaks down her cheeks as they fell. I held a finger to my lips and motioned for her to follow. The necklace that Optimus had given me for my birthday glowed subtly, the faint blue glow just visible in my peripheral vision. I silently willed it to somehow let Optimus know that I was safe; for now at least.

We made our way through a maze of vast corridors, sometimes coming to dead ends, other times stumbling into trophy rooms that contained cages of creatures that seemed to have been birthed in the very pits of hell itself. The drones rolled along on their wheels, apparently unaware of our absence. I hardly dared to breathe, fearing their advanced senses would pick up even the slightest of sounds.

Gradually, the sound of the drones faded into the ominous sound of nothingness as Tessa and I descended deeper and deeper into the ship.

"Do you know where they've taken Optimus?" Tessa's voice was strained and high-pitched, her breath caught in her throat. I grasped her hand tightly.

"No, but we should try to find him. The odds are that Lockdown has him in some sort of cell. We just need to figure out **which** one." I sighed. Lockdown's ship was monstrously **huge** , and I had no knowledge whatsoever of its layout. "We need to try and think systematically; try to think like Lockdown." I felt like laughing at my own words. I had no idea of how to think systematically, and Optimus had always been there when I was unsure of something. "Come on, let's try this way." We picked our way through more vast corridors, at one point entering a chamber which was full of enormous cages dangling from the ceiling.

Just as we made our way fully inside the room, the thunder of metallic footfalls sounded behind us. A quick glance over my shoulder awarded me a brief glance of one of the most strange and terrifying creatures I had ever seen. There were six wolf-like creatures pursuing us, all running and snapping at each other's heels. They resembled huge, hulking wolves, almost the size of fully grown horses. Their faces were metallic, almost steel looking. Huge, jagged teeth protruded from their open maws, but their bodies appeared to be made from flesh. The mere sight of them caused bile to rise in my throat.

"Tessa, run!" She needed no further instruction from me as the wolves drew ever closer. I followed, pushing my legs as fast as they would go. Tessa's hair was a wall of gold in front of me, streaming out behind her like a long ribbon. My own hair came into my field of vision; a strand of dark red against the backdrop of the grey surroundings. We ducked into a side passage and through a latticed wall. The bars were wide enough for Tessa and I to slip through easily, but the wolves could only get their legs through the narrow gap. They snarled furiously, snapping at us and spraying us with drool. We backed away from them slowly, unable to tear our gaze away from their beady eyes. Tessa grabbed my hand, pulling me away from the snarling beasts.

"Come on, we need to go!" We resumed our sprint, turning randomly and blindly, hardly paying any attention to where we were going. Suddenly the floor beneath me opened and I fell through it, air whistling past me as I fell at a sickening speed. My hands automatically reached out to find anything to hold onto, but they found nothing. Tessa disappeared in a whirl of colour and surprise, the floor closing as quickly as it had opened.

I landed sooner than I expected, onto a hard and uneven metal surface. It moved as I landed on it, jerking this way and that. I held on tightly to avoid being dislodged as it was a _long_ way down to the ground below.

"Argh, who is there?"

I froze at the sound of his voice, a huge smile making its way onto my face.

"Optimus! It's me!" I took the time to take in my surroundings and found that I had landed on Optimus' upside down foot. He had been suspended from the ceiling, his head nearly on the floor.

"Oh Cordelia, thank the AllSpark. Are you injured at all?"

"No, are you?"

"Negative. Are you able to climb down? I will help you when you are within reach." I nodded and slowly eased myself over the edge of his enormous foot. I lowered myself past his ankle joint, hanging on tightly to the fuel line that conveniently ran the entire length of his leg. When I reached his knee, his hand gently caught me, enveloping me in the safety of his strong fingers. He brought me to his face and despite the fact that he was upside down; I pressed myself fervently against his face. "Oh Lia, I am so glad to see you are safe. Is Tessa also safe?"

"I don't know – we were running away from these wolf things and then the floor just opened underneath me." Optimus frowned and lowered his hand to the ground. I slipped from it onto the floor. "Optimus, is there anything I can do to help? Can I release you or something?" He chuckled.

"I'm sorry little one, but I think you are too small to be able to deactivate the restraint controls." I sighed.

"Ugh, I hate being so useless. I'm of no help to you whatsoever. You should have just let me fall all those years ago. You would have saved yourself so much grief." At once I was swept back up into his grasp. He cupped me in both of his hands, bringing me close to his face.

"You are NOT useless Cordelia. Your very presence is a help to me. You are the most important person in my existence. NEVER think that I regret saving you. Cordelia, I would do absolutely **anything** for you."

I offered him a weak smile, leaning my head forward to meet his lip plates as they brushed my hairline in a gentle kiss. "Everything will be okay little one, I promise."

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to be a Debbie Downer." I said idly, running my hands over his smooth knuckles. He let me slip out of his grasp but kept one finger on my shoulder.

"Boss! Where are ya?!" Hound's voice rang through the melancholy silence, startling me out of my reverie. Optimus grinned and shouted out to Hound. Within seconds the huge green Autobot was at the door to Optimus' small cell, ripping it off its hinges effortlessly. He reached up and easily snapped the restraint holding Optimus' foot to the ceiling. He fell to the floor in a tangled heap of long arms and legs, a surprised 'oof' emerging from his vocoder. He quickly righted himself, scooping me up and holding me against his chest.

"Hound, there is a separate ship; it can detach from the main vessel. We must move quickly. Lockdown is preparing to launch into deep space. We don't have much time." Hound nodded solemnly.

"On it boss." Optimus tucked me onto his shoulder, following his comrade into the substantially smaller ship.

There was a low humming sound as Hound turned on the smaller ship's engines. The noise grew steadily louder as the engines reached their full velocity. Hound sat in the pilot's chair; his hands flying over the controls so fast that they were dark green blurs. Optimus ran over to the edge of the cockpit, coming to a halt at the floor-to-ceiling window. He reached up to steady himself with one hand as we were all thrown forward as our smaller shipped detached from the main one. Optimus tightened his grip on me as I simultaneously tightened my hold on his fingers. My stomach flipped as we fell through the air before the ship became properly airborne. I buried my face into Optimus' fingers as the horrible sensation of falling overtook my stomach and made it feel like it was in my mouth. Optimus' thumb rubbed my back reassuringly and at once all my fear retreated at his touch.

Hound steadied the ship in the sky. It chugged a little before setting of smoothly into the cloudless blue sky.

.o

I spent the short flight to the rendezvous meeting place curled up on Optimus' shoulder, listening to the quiet whir of his intakes. We landed roughly in an abandoned train yard; the huge ship making the trains look like toys.

We disembarked and waited for Bumblebee and the others to arrive. Optimus held me in his left hand, his thumb rubbing soft circles into my back. I turned to face him. He looked into the distant horizon, staring at something that was too far away for my human eyes to see. His face was sombre as he ground his lip plates together, creating tiny sparks. His audio receptors rotated this way and that; a subtle indicator of his agitated mood. He lifted me to eye level and appraised me thoughtfully.

"Cordelia, are you injured at all?" I shook my head.

"No. I'm fine Optimus. Are **you** okay?" He simulated a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose between a thumb and forefinger.

"I am…somewhat exasperated." I dropped my gaze from his, feeling suddenly shy and shameful. A fingertip gently tilted my face upwards. "Cordelia, don't hide your face from me. You have **nothing** to be sorry for. I am not angry with _you._ "

"I know, but I just can't help this stupid insecurity. It certainly exasperates me!" He looked at me sadly and grazed my cheek with his thumb.

"It is one of my most sincere wishes that you will one day see yourself as I do." I looked at him wryly.

"As a tiny, annoying red-headed human?" Optimus rolled his optics in mock annoyance and lowered himself to sit on one of the disused train engines. As he sat down, the sound of groaning metal became louder and louder as Optimus' body started to shift. The train engine that he was sitting on had started to give way underneath his immense weight and tipped him backwards. He landed on the ground with a loud thud, all the while keeping me secure in his fist.

I burst out laughing; the bemused look on Optimus' face was too much for me to look at without exploding into hysterical laughter. He smiled at me, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. His legs were still draped over the train, and like that, he looked like he was taking a gentle exercise class. The mental image only made me laugh more. He chuckled gently, his baritone voice low and deep.

"Well, that was unexpected." I wiped the tears from my eyes and grinned widely at him.

"Oh Optimus, you can be so clumsy." He quickly righted himself, rising to his feet once more. The train had a huge dent in the shape of Optimus' backside.

"Umm…oops?" I snickered and kissed his thumb. He grinned sheepishly at me, his optics dilating for the tiniest millisecond. I looked at my surroundings from his palm, sitting up in his hand to get a better view of the train yard.

It had been abandoned for years, that much was evident in the way the weeds and ivy wound their way up the old train engines, carving a path around the trains. The train engines themselves were covered in rust and parts were falling off of them. I wondered how many seasons they had seen come and go, and what they had hauled long ago. I wondered what had happened for them to be abandoned to their fate like this; just sat on the ground like a child's discarded toys.

There was a low rumbling sound coming from the distance, and soon a tiny speck was visible on the horizon. It slowly grew larger and larger until I could clearly see the distinctive outlines of Crosshairs and Bumblebee. As the transport began to descend, Crosshairs vaulted himself off of it, landing somewhat gracefully in front of Optimus. Bumblebee landed the small aircraft roughly, sending up a torrent of loose gravel and dirt.

Cade, Shane and Tessa emerged from behind Bumblebee's yellow legs, looking dishevelled but unhurt. Crosshairs' optics widened at the gigantic ship behind us. He rubbed his hands together in poorly disguised glee. Optimus placed me gently on the ground as Crosshairs approached.

"Crack open a can of oil! We've got a ship now; we can leave." The small Autobot known as Brains appeared in my field of vision. He only came up to my knee, and I saw that his right leg had been ripped off from the knee joint. He hobbled around on a makeshift walking stick, his gait wobbly and unsteady. He was mumbling in a low monotone; chewing on a piece of jagged metal.

"Can't wait to get off this stinking planet, I'd rather get cosmic rust in my aft than spend another mega-cycle on this pathetic excuse of a world." He paced up and down furiously, ripping up random blades of grass. Optimus growled softly, a low rumbling baritone that vibrated my bones.

Cade clambered up a small heap of coal, looking up at Optimus with a perplexed expression on his face. Tessa came to stand by me, her gaze worried.

"Are you okay?" I asked, tucking my hair into a loose bun. She looked at me, her face streaked with dried blood and dirt, making her cornflower eyes stand out all the more.

"I'm fine, shaken up, but fine. Bee saved us from those…wolf things. We almost fell Lia…we almost fell from the top of a goddamned skyscraper. But Bee saved us – saved all of us. We owe him our lives." I was about to respond when Cade's raised voice rung in my ears. He was responding to a conversation I had not heard.

"What do you mean? I'm doin' stuff out of my league here!" He threw his arms up in clear frustration. Optimus wore an expression of well masked exasperation.

"You humans. You have wrought this upon yourselves. Time and time again I have seen your kind throw caution to the wind and go in blind to needless conflicts. You sow the seeds of your own destruction and you invite your doom in through the front door!" His voice rose at the last word, betraying his usually cool demeanour. He growled again and paced away from us, his footsteps heavier than usual.

"What the hell are you talking about?! I've come halfway across the country with you and been shot at, fallen off a building and had my house blown up! Do you care to enlighten me to what the fuck is going on around here?!" Cade shouted furiously, a vein standing out on his forehead. Tessa approached him, placing a hand on his forearm.

"Dad, calm down. This is gonna get us nowhere." Cade shook his head, unable to see past his fury. He pointed aggressively on Optimus, another tirade on the edge of his lips.

"No Tess. I will not be told I am 'sowing the seeds of my own destruction' when all I've done my whole life is try to do the best by you and protect you. Coming on this wild goose chase was not on my fucking to do list today! Neither was hiding a giant freaking alien and his pet in my barn!" My heart skipped a beat at his words; my breath catching in my throat. In the same instant, Optimus was right in Cade's space, down on both knees, one hand a mere foot from Cade's face.

"You WILL NOT insult Cordelia; is that understood? You may insult me all you like Cade Yeager, but you leave **her** out of it. Do you understand me?!" In the decade that I had known Optimus, this was the first time that he had ever truly scared me. He was so different, so angry…so _alien._ His face was pulled back into a furious grimace, his words coming out in a vicious series of snarls. Cade shied away from him involuntarily, pulling Tessa with him. I stood perfectly still, my feet frozen to the spot. Optimus was silent for a second before he rose to his feet in one fluid motion. Drift stepped in then, gently pushing Optimus back with one hand.

"Let us be calm, no? This quarrelling will not solve anything. Joshua Joyce has moved his base of operations to Hong Kong, China. We must travel there." Optimus nodded, taking a step away from Cade. When he spoke, his voice was back under control, though his face still displayed a cold anger.

"What I _meant_ when I said that humans are sowing the seeds of their own destruction is the alliance between Cemetery Wind, KSI and Lockdown. In exchange for my capture, Lockdown gifted the humans with something known as the 'Seed'. It is the source of all metal on Cybertron; it is what we Transformers are forged from. Humans are wrongly calling it 'Transformium', but its correct name is 'protomatter'. The humans are unaware of one crucial and fatal factor in their plan to detonate the Seed; their man made prototype 'Galvatron' is not all that it seems. When I fought it on the highway, I sensed the presence of Megatron." Cade, now recovered from Optimus' outburst, spoke up.

"Megatron? The Decepticon that started the Chicago war?"

"The very same one! Oh yeah, that evil mind wasn't as dead as they thought!" Brains chirped up again, this time his voice oddly cheerful. "Oh yeah, they hooked up that dead mind to the body with the snappy name of 'Galvatron'. Haha, they built him a brand new body! He infected it with his evil nasty chromosomes."

"You knew this and you didn't warn them?" Tessa's voice was incredulous.

"Little girl, you go to a pretty dark place when you on death row. Galvatron wants to take that Seed and detonate it in the biggest city and kill millions! He'll use the protomatter that the blast will create and build his new super-army!" Brains laughed gleefully. "Ain't my problem, I'm free now!" Optimus shot Brains an annoyed glance.

"The blast will incinerate that city and the rest of the Earth into molten metal, creating our elemental metals. We must stop Galvatron from reaching his goal, no matter the cost." He came over to me, his gaze wary. I chastised myself inwardly; he had seen my fearful reaction to his outburst earlier. He didn't wrap his fingers around my body as he usually did; instead placing his hand palm up on the ground, waiting patiently for me to get on. I rushed forward, and in my hurry to reach him, I tripped over my own feet and fell to the floor with a soft plop. He hesitated for a second before he picked me up off the ground, his hold on me almost cautious. I looked up at him, but his optics avoided my gaze. Instead he looked up and addressed the Autobots.

"We embark for Hong Kong immediately. There is no time to lose."


	15. Chapter 15

Optimus paced up and down the observation deck of Lockdown's borrowed ship, Cordelia sleeping soundly in his armoured arms. Her red hair spilled over his arm. Using his free hand, he gently brushed away the few stray strands that had found their way across her face. The cuts she'd sustained on Lockdown's ship had scabbed over and were no longer bleeding. They were not severe injuries, but the mere sight of them caused Optimus' Spark to swell furiously behind its casing.

They had left the Atlantic Ocean behind some time ago, but that fact did little to ease the worry gnawing away at Optimus' processor. He'd been holding her in his arms for three hours, and he wasn't about to let her go.

His audio covers rotated furiously, spinning this way and that. He looked down at Cordelia, taking in her slumbering form. Her usually alabaster skin was flushed and pink. He held her in the crook of his left arm, enveloping her in a safety net of metallic armour. He looked out through the ship's huge windows, out at the great architectural feat that the humans called 'the Great Wall of China.' It meandered across the land like a great serpent. One of the only human creations that was visible from space. Optimus sighed, his hydraulics emitting excess air and shifted his weight, careful not to disturb Cordelia. Her vulnerable state reminded him of the night they had first met, all those years ago. She had changed so much in the last ten years, not just in appearance, but character as well. She was good and kind, and she made Optimus' Spark sing. He allowed a tiny smile onto his faceplate, remembering their awkward interaction after he had carried her away from the traffic bridge.

.o

 _Optimus looked out at the city that was Tranquility, marvelling at the greenery that surrounded him. The last few days had flown past, even for Optimus, who had been alive longer than the human race had existed. The Decepticons had been defeated, and the Autobots had been formally accepted by the Earth's governments as refugees. Despite this, his Spark was still weighed down with worry and concern. Worry about what the Decepticons would do without their leader. Worry at how he and his Autobots would be received by the people of Earth. Worry for the little redhead sitting at his feet. She was playing absent-mindedly with a strand of grass, twirling it around in her long fingers. The sun's rays were just starting to descend, the light catching his armour, sending a prism of colours and shapes into his field of vision. The way that the sun caught Cordelia's hair never ceased to amaze Optimus. It was a deep, rich red colour that the humans referred to as 'auburn'. It was a colour that he'd never seen the like of on Cybertron, and it absolutely fascinated him. She rose to her feet, placing a tentative hand on the wheel arch that also doubled as his ankle. He lowered himself to a kneeling positon. She looked up at him with the deep green pools that were her eyes. She was but a_ _ **child**_ _. Optimus could not help himself as his hands cupped her tiny, fragile body and brought her close to his chest. She was a feather weight in his palm; her tiny hands exploring his for a hand-hold. She wrapped an arm around his thumb, smiling shyly up at him._

 _In the short week that he had known Cordelia, Optimus had been drawn in by the mysterious aura that seemed to accompany her. He was totally fascinated by the way the blood rose steadily from her neck up to her cheeks whenever he was gentle with her. He felt incredibly protective of her, and had already fought to defend her life. He thought back to the anger and sheer_ _ **fury**_ _that he had felt when she had been taken by Seymour Simmons of Sector 7, shaking his head in quiet amazement at himself. She was the first being, the first in_ _ **eons**_ _that he had felt free enough to be himself around. Under the cloud of war, he was expected to be a pillar of strength for his soldiers. Being a Prime was a heavy burden upon his shoulders, but it was a burden that he carried willingly and with pride. Cordelia didn't see Optimus Prime, she saw Optimus. Optimus, the mech who was always thirsty for new knowledge. Optimus, the one who would lay down his very Spark for_ _ **any**_ _of his soldiers, no questions asked. Ever since saving her life at the traffic bridge, Optimus had felt an incomprehensible and undeniable pull towards the human female. He held her up to eye level, examining the cuts on her face and arms._

" _Lia, what do you want to do?" As he spoke, he delicately moved a strand of red hair from her face. She shied away from him, burying her face in her hands. "Cordelia, I won't hurt you. I promise. I will never,_ _ **ever**_ _harm you." She looked up, tears swimming in her green eyes._

" _I know. It's just…it's still burned into my brain." She sighed and patted his hand by way of apology. "I'm sorry."_

" _You don't need to be sorry little one." He closed one optic in a wink, earning a small smile from the tiny organic perched on his palm. She leaned back into his fingers, relaxing once more._

" _Optimus, what do I do now? I can't go back to my dad, it'll kill me. I can't stay with Leo, it's just not possible. But I can't_ _ **not**_ _have Leo in my life; he means everything to me and I-"_

" _Shh. Easy little one. Be calm." She nodded and wiped her face, her breathing resuming a normal rhythm. "I may have a solution. Do you wish to hear it?" She nodded, her gaze earnest and hopeful._

" _Okay."_

" _The American government are going to locate us, that is, we Autobots to a base on the remote island of Diego Garcia. Firstly, would you like to contact Leo and inform him of your whereabouts? I am sure he's very worried about you. Secondly, would you like to accompany me to Diego Garcia and set up a permanent residence there? You won't be the only human on the base; military personnel will be living there as well." Optimus watched Cordelia's face, taking in her expressions. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out._

" _Come and – come and live with you?" Optimus nodded._

" _Affirmative. But only if you want to." Cordelia hugged herself to his thumb._

" _I would love to! Oh Optimus, that's the best thing I've heard in a long time. Thank you. Thank you so much." Once more, Optimus was caught off-guard by Cordelia's laid-back attitude around him and her eagerness to show him affection, despite all that she had suffered at the hands of her father. He raised her to his face once more and gently brushed his lip plates across her auburn hair._

" _No little one, thank_ _ **you.**_ _"_

.o

Optimus was interrupted from his reverie as Cade walked into the room. Optimus watched through semi-curious optics as Cade settled himself into a small recess in the ground that was meant for cargo. He leaned forward, placing his toned arms on his knees. There was silence for a few minutes save for the low thrumming of Cade's heartbeat. Optimus heard Cade swallow somewhat nervously before he took in a large volume of air.

"Optimus?" Optimus inclined his head toward Cade, but gave no other indication that he had heard him speak. Cade carried on, nervously rubbing his hands together as he spoke. "Optimus, you didn't really mean it when you said you were done fighting for humans did you?"

Optimus looked at the tiny young woman nestled in the crook of his left arm. His Spark ached just at the mere sight of her, pulsating furiously in its chamber. Could he **truly** abandon humanity? His audial covers rotated clockwise and counter-clockwise as he deliberated his answer. The weight of Cordelia was so light in his arms, but so heavy in his Spark. She had come into his life, casting a bright beacon of light, eliminating all the darkness that resided within his Spark.

He knelt to regard Cade more on his level, casting him in a gentle pool of blue light from his weary optics.

"How many more of my kind must be sacrificed to atone for **your** mistakes?!" He got to his feet again, hydraulics and joints hissing as he straightened to his full height. He hadn't meant the words to sound as accusing as they had, but Cade still shrunk back from them all the same.

Cade sighed, not looking at Optimus as he spoke. "What do you think being human means? That's what we do; we make mistakes…and sometimes out of those mistakes come the most amazing things." Optimus said nothing, watching the seemingly endless Great Wall snake past as the ship progressed. "You know, when I fixed you, it was for a reward, that was it. That was why. The money. And that was me making a **mistake.** And without that mistake, you wouldn't be here. And neither would she." He gestured to Cordelia, sleeping soundly in Optimus' arms. "So even if you've got no faith in us, I'm asking you to do what I do. I'm asking you to look at all the junk and see the treasure. You gotta have faith Prime, in who we **can** be."

Optimus sighed and allowed his shoulders to sag. Cade smiled at him half-heartedly and suddenly became very interested in the gun that he had swiped from Lockdown's ship.

Cordelia stirred lightly in his arms, turning onto her other side. He moved a few stray strands of hair from her face with all the gentleness he could muster. He thought back to the vulnerable young child she had been on their first meeting. The roundness of her freckled cheeks had given way to well defined cheekbones and a delicate face framed by deep auburn hair. Her body had become more feminine and lithe as she went through the physical and physiological changes that accompanied growing from a child into a young adult. Optimus had watched in pride and quiet amazement as Cordelia grew from a timid young girl into a kind and loving young woman.

Yes, he had seen the junk. And she was the treasure that outshone all of it.

.o

When I awoke, my left arm was numb from being under my cheek for so long. I was deliciously warm and I could hear Optimus' Spark humming nearby. I stretched and felt Optimus' arms shift underneath me. I sat up and scooted myself into his waiting hand before he brought me up to eye level.

"Did you sleep well little one?" His optics tilted ever so slightly upwards in his unique smile.

"Yes, thank you. Sorry, I didn't mean to sleep for so long."

He shook his head at me, a hint of sadness creeping into the edges of his optics. "Don't be silly; the amount of time you spend in recharge is never a problem for me Cordelia; you know that." I felt the blood rushing to my cheeks at his words and looked away from him, suddenly embarrassed. He chuckled, a low rumbling sound that wasn't unlike the low echoing of a distant waterfall. "Would you please excuse me for ten minutes or so? I need to brief the Autobots before we make our arrival in Hong Kong. There are some developments that they should be made aware of."

"Sure, go ahead. I'll wait here." He let me down on the ground, straightening up and walking out of the vast room with easy grace.

I turned to look back out of the floor-to-ceiling windows, marvelling at the scenery as it whirled quietly by. I thought of the events of the past forty-eight hours, the past week…the past **year and a half.** I thought of Leo, sitting alone in his Sheriff's office, printing out countless missing posters. I thought of my own face on those missing posters, wondering if I would ever get to see him again. Would I ever be able to see the way his smile made his soft blue eyes wrinkle in the corners, the way his large hands curled around mine when he was trying to erase the memories of my hellish father? Tears pricked the back of my eyes and I rubbed at them furiously, not wanting Optimus to see that I was teetering on some perilous edge with a bottomless drop below.

Minutes and minutes went by, how many I wasn't sure of because my mind had suddenly decided that dissociating at that exact moment would be a good idea. I was vaguely aware of Cade moving about in the background, fussing gently over Tessa in that way that only over-attentive fathers could over their daughters.

I sat down on the floor, bringing my knees up to my chest. Despite sleeping for a long time, I suddenly felt exhausted, drained both mentally and physically. I rested my head on top of my knees, letting my eyes close. One lone tear rolled down my cheek and I wiped it away angrily, annoyed at myself for getting upset now.

I heard Optimus' footsteps re-enter the room. Even though he trod lightly, his footfalls still sent small tremors through the ship floor. They increased in intensity as he slowly lowered himself to sit next to me, one leg outstretched and the other pulled up to his chest. His joints hissed as he sat down, ruffling my hair gently in a puff of cool air. It was like sitting next to a building; it was impossible **not** to be physically aware of him. I stood and went to lean against his thigh, running my hand up and down the cable subconsciously.

"Are you okay?" I asked without turning to face him. A hundred different shades of green swirled past us, bathing the Great Wall in a kaleidoscope of emerald, chartreuse, lime, pine and juniper greens. The mountains that surrounded the structure were like great, silent sentinels, standing guard against any threat, however big or small.

Optimus' hand came down to rest on his thigh. He drummed lightly with his fingers before taking my hand softly between his thumb and forefinger. He rubbed tiny circles on the back of my hand with his thumb, the same way I did to him when he was feeling anxious or stressed.

"Did you know that this structure is 13,171 miles long? The original walls were built as early as the 7th Century and were later joined together with other walls to make them bigger and stronger. It was built primarily for defence and to mark borders. It truly is an incredible feat of architecture, when you take into account how long ago it was built; at a time when humans did not possess heavy machinery to do their heavy lifting and-"

"Stop!" He looked down at me in surprise, his lip plates slightly open. "Stop it! Don't avoid the question. Optimus, I NEED to know; are you **okay**?" My voice rose an octave, causing my words to come out as a shriek. His finger moved from my hand to my face. It never ceased to amaze me how he could touch me so gently, and with so much love in such a simple gesture as touching my cheek. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout. Optimus, I just need to know; are you okay? At the train yard, you…you were so _angry._ " His optics dimmed slightly, and I could almost see the storm clouds rolling across them. He rubbed his face with his free hand, his nose pinched between thumb and forefinger.

"Cordelia, I am so, **so** very sorry that you had to witness that behaviour from me. It was totally unacceptable and I am utterly ashamed of myself." Frustration seeped into my veins and I pulled my hand free from his grasp, walking up and down the length of his leg.

"Optimus, I don't **care** about that! I just need to know if you're okay! I don't care if you beat the living shit out of a tree, or if you flatten a shopping centre! I love you, and I **need to know!** " Hot tears spilled down my cheeks, and I turned away from him, not wanting him to see me cry. His servos whirred as he moved to pick me up, resting his hand palm up on the ground, an invitation. I climbed on, groggily, lethargically.

"Cordelia, I am not quite okay, but I am on the way there, with your help. This will pass, and we will help each other through it. It will be okay. You are, and always will be my most important priority. I will never forsake you Cordelia."

"Thank you…and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get angry with you." I slumped down in his palm, dropping my gaze from his.

"Are **you** okay?" I shook my head, burying my face in my hands.

"I'm terrified Optimus, I'm scared of not knowing what they next day will bring, I'm scared of everybody I encounter, I'm scared that I'm never going to see Leo again, but above all, I am absolutely terrified of losing you. I can't lose you. I just can't!" My breathing sped up again, coming out in short sharp bursts. I felt Optimus' finger move to rub my back in a slow, rhythmic motion, and I tried to time my panicked gasps to the movement. He brought me close to his chest, knowing that the low hum of his Spark would help to calm me. Minutes passed, and gradually the stabbing pain in my chest eased and my breathing regained a healthier pace.

"Shh. I'm here and I am not going anywhere. I won't ever go anywhere unless you send me away."

"I won't ever send you away." I mumbled into his chest, earning a small chuckle. He raised me to his face, and his expression softened and gave way to pure, undiluted love.

"That's my girl." He dipped his head forward, very carefully touching my nose with his. I giggled and planted a small kiss on the smooth metal that felt like porcelain against my lips. He rose to his feet, cupping me safely in his hand. When I looked up again, I saw that the countryside had given way to thick clusters of buildings, a mixture of high rise apartments and skyscrapers.

"We're here!"

"Yes little one, indeed we are. Now we just need to-" He didn't get a chance to utter another word as the ship rocked violently in the air. The force caused Optimus to lose his balance and he stumbled backwards, moving his other hand underneath the one I was nestled in to hold me steady. The ship started to spin sickeningly fast, and soon the only thing I could visually register were Optimus' fingers grasped tightly around my middle. The ship was spinning too fast for me to figure out where we were, or even to know what had happened.

Optimus adjusted his grip on me so I was clutched more securely in his fist. He made his way to the cockpit, using one arm to hold onto the wall so that he didn't lose his balance. Noises of alarms and instruments beeping was the only thing I could hear. Drift's lips moved, as did Optimus', but I could not work out what they were saying.

Optimus' optics widened as he saw something I could not. He turned and knelt, using his body to shield me. "Autobots, brace for impact!"


	16. Chapter 16

It was complete and utter chaos as the ship continued to descend, spinning wildly out of control. We were thrown from side to side, the ship only gaining more speed as it continued to fall. My knuckles were white as I gripped onto Optimus' fingers with every ounce of strength that I possessed. My stomach threatened to expel the breakfast I'd eaten before we'd gone to the KSI headquarters. Through the open archway I saw Bumblebee, Hound and Crosshairs tumble off the access ramp along with Tessa and Cade.

Chaos continued for what felt like an eternity before we crashed to a heart-stopping and rib-resounding halt. Optimus rose quickly to his feet, his fingers running up and down my body, no doubt checking for injuries. I ran a hand over my hair to smooth it down and saw that Crosshairs and Drift were also getting to their feet.

"What the hell was that?" Crosshairs' voice was quietly incredulous. I followed his gaze around the cockpit of the ship. Instruments lay in shattered pieces on the floor; the pilot's chair upturned in one corner. Optimus transferred me to his left hand and I scooted myself back to lean against his curved fingers. Drift brushed something off his shoulder and it landed with a soft clink amongst the console debris.

"Is everybody functional?" Optimus asked, doing a quick visual check on his Autobots. They nodded the affirmative and followed him out of the ruined ship. As we emerged outdoors, it was evident straight away that we had crash landed in a valley. There were mountains on all sides, covered in thick blankets of green forest. Optimus bent down and let me slide out of his hand onto the ground. I stayed close to him as he bent low to examine the wreckage of the ship. He shook his great head, frustration seeping into his clear blue optics.

"The ship is damaged beyond repair. We will have to-" a hiss of static sounded, and he stopped talking. Hound's voice came over his comm link; gruff and grumpy as ever.

"Optimus, Autobots, are you live? What'm I supposed to do with these humans?" Optimus sighed.

"They're in trouble."

Crosshairs approached Optimus from behind, a scowl present on his faceplate. "Gah! I'm done being an underdog; underdogs suck! What's the play Prime?"

"It's time for reinforcements!" He began to walk with purpose towards the grounded ship but caught me in one huge hand as I made to follow him. "Stay out here with Crosshairs and Drift. I won't be long little one." He scooped me up in one easy motion and placed me in Crosshairs' waiting arms. I watched him disappear into the ship, striding forward with resolute purpose. I turned around to fix Crosshairs with a puzzled look. His answering gaze answered my own unspoken question; he was just as clueless as I was.

The minutes ticked slowly by as we waited for Optimus to return. Drift paced in small circles, suddenly preoccupied with the efficacy of the sharpness of his blades. Crosshairs swayed lightly from foot to foot, clicking his denta quietly.

"Soo…what do ya reckon he's doing?" I titled my head to look at his face. One optic was squinted shut, his goggles sitting innocently on top of his helm.

"I honestly don't know, what do you think?" Crosshairs shrugged and plucked a small branch off a nearby tree and popped the end of it into his mouth.

"Your guess is as good as mine Red." No sooner had he finished speaking, Optimus re-emerged from the ship, followed by four of the biggest Cybertronians I had ever seen. "You've got to be kidding me." Crosshairs said, the branch falling from his open mouth.

The only way to describe the four Cybertronians that flanked Optimus was colossal. Everything about their huge bodies screamed power. The biggest of the four was closest to Optimus and looked to be at least sixty to seventy feet tall. Optimus' head barely brushed the top of its waist. Optimus made a sweeping motion with a long arm towards the four Cybertronians.

"Legendary warriors; the powers that created us, now want us all extinguished. We must join forces, or else forever be their slaves. So today you stand with us, or, you stand against **me**." The largest warrior roared furiously and went to strike Optimus with the mace that he was holding. Optimus rolled easily out of harm's way. I automatically started to wriggle in Crosshairs' arms to try and free myself. Crosshairs tightened his grip.

"Naw, we'll let Prime figure this one out Red. There's no friggin' way we're stayin' down 'ere with them; no way, **no** way." Drift quietly agreed, and it was all I could do to watch Optimus dodge the larger bot's attacks as Crosshairs and Drift scaled a rocky wall which had a small waterfall trickling over the outcrop.

"Only together, can we survive! Let me lead you!" Optimus' voice carried a hint of desperation in it that I wasn't sure I'd heard before. He continued to dodge attack after attack, before he scrambled up the other robot's arm and delivered a powerful backhand to its face. He jumped off its shoulder as it started to transform. The transformation was seamless and somewhat beautiful, but what met my eyes as the sequence finished caused the breath in my lungs to expel in one huge motion. I didn't know what I had been expecting, but it certainly hadn't been **this**.

In the clearing was the Tyrannosaurus Rex that I was sure had ever walked the earth. It had long, menacing horns which snaked out of the back of its head. The eyes were red, angry and gleaming. The open mouth was full of sharp, silver teeth. It threw its head this way and that, roaring furiously before opening its mouth and releasing a huge jet of fire. I made to move out of Crosshairs' grip again, but he only readjusted his arms and moved further up the rockface.

"Oh no you don't Red, Prime will be fine."

Optimus' battle mask had come into place and he beckoned at the dinosaur robot.

"Come here!" he snarled furiously, planting his feet firmly on the ground as the T-Rex began to charge him. As it came to within touching distance, Optimus once again did a backhanded strike which sent the huge robot soaring for at least thirty feet. Optimus was clutching a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. He approached the massive dinosaur, great amounts of steam pouring from its nostrils.

Optimus placed one foot on the dinosaur's head and drew his sword softly up the one of its horns, sending sparks raining down. "You defend my family, or **die.** " Optimus' words left no room for speculation as the massive creature yielded to him, allowing him to climb onto its back. Optimus took the sword away from the back of the creature's neck and stowed it on his back, upon which a holster had appeared. Optimus slipped off the dinosaur's back and nodded imperceptibly to it. The robot transformed back to its bipedal mode as Optimus made his way over to Crosshairs, Drift and me. He was holding out his hand.

"It is okay. They will not harm any one of us." Crosshairs didn't look convinced but began to make his way down the rockface. He placed me carefully into Optimus' waiting hand before backing up, so he was once more closer to the rockface. I looked up at Optimus, fear snaking its way onto my face. Optimus spoke to allay my fears. "Do not worry Lia, I am absolutely fine, but there is someone that I would like you to meet." He started to walk towards the enormous robot, all tension forgotten. I tried to make myself relax in Optimus' palm and failed miserably. His thumb moved to stroke my back reassuringly. "Easy little one. I wouldn't do this if I thought that there was even the most minute risk to your safety." Reassured by his words, I took a deep breath and sat down in his cupped hand.

"Cordelia, I would like you to meet Grimlock; legendary warrior and leader of the fearsome warriors known as the Dinobots. Grimlock, this is my human companion; Cordelia Prime. Make no mistake, if you attempt to harm her, or any other human, I will not hesitate for one astro-seceond to kill you."

Grimlock merely snorted and leaned his hands on his knees as he lowered himself for a better look at me. The way he looked at me was curious and a little intense, but there was no malice present in his red optics. He growled softly, but this time it sounded more like a sound of acknowledgement rather than a threat. His mouth began to move, and a strange gravelly voice sounded from deep within him.

"Me, Grimlock, you…Prime's girl?" I nodded, allowing a tiny smile onto my face. "These, my Dinobots, Scorn, Slug and Strafe. But me Grimlock is leader! Me Grimlock is biggest and strongest so me Grimlock is best leader. Better than Optimus Prime." At these words, Drift stepped forward as if to protest, but Optimus shook his head at him. The way Grimlock spoke reminded me of a child who had just learned the skill. His speech was stilted and unnatural, and they way that he strung his words together gave me the impression that he didn't speak very often. I took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I'm pleased to meet you Grimlock. Thank you for agreeing to help us." Grimlock narrowed his optics at Optimus at these words but did not say anything. He transformed back to his T-Rex mode and his comrades followed suit, each a different dinosaur; a two-headed Pteranodon, a Triceratops and a Spinosaurus. Optimus mounted Grimlock once more, one hand gripping on of Grimlock's horns and the other holding me tightly to his chest.

"Hold on tight Cordelia, it's going to be a bumpy ride."

.o

Optimus' words proved to be true. The descent down the mountain was the most tumultuous, heart-stopping ride that I had ever been on. Optimus sat astride Grimlock, clutching me tightly in his left hand. Grimlock was running at full speed down the mountain, sometimes jumping downwards a good twenty or thirty feet. Soon, the great sprawling city of Hong Kong came into view, clouds of smoke and fire billowing in every direction. Grimlock took an almighty leap and landed in a dank alley-way. If the spring down the mountain had been intense, it was nothing compared to what met us as we made our way deeper into the city.

There was complete and utter carnage everywhere I looked. Left, right and centre there were upturned cars, half demolished buildings and people were running in all directions. Robots that could have only belonged to Joshua Joyce as they bore neither Decepticon or Autobot symbols. They were running rampant through out the city, tearing up cars as if they were toys. As they saw us coming, they charged us with renewed ferocity. Grimlock and Optimus led the Dinobots to meet them with just as much of a fearsome display of strength.

"Argh! I'll kill you!" Optimus' guttural bellow was so loud that I had to cover my ears, and even that only muffled it a little. My world turned upside-down as Optimus attacked and killed Joyce's robots. He killed bot after bot, all the while keeping me expertly out of harm's way. Grimlock released endless torrents of fire, mowing down the opposing robots as easily as if they had been matchsticks. In the far distance I could see a streak of yellow moving fast and a large green shape on the floor. Bumblebee and Hound were both fighting furiously, but the freed robots kept coming in endless waves. Optimus saw this too and urged Grimlock to run faster still.

"Faster! Go!" As we drew nearer to Hound and Bumblebee, Optimus leapt off Grimlock's back and mowed down six of the robots that were intent on destroying us.

After a few tense minutes of fighting, Optimus and the other Autobots seemed to have gained the upper hand. There was suddenly a stillness and silence that surrounded us like a thick blanket, muffling the sounds of battle for a short while. Optimus motioned for everybody to follow him to a large grassy plaza, where he out me gently down on the ground. I stood still for a few moments, allowing my legs to stop shaking before I attempted to walk.

"Cordelia!" I looked up at the sound of my name and saw Cade and Tessa sprinting towards me, both streaked with blood.

"Oh my god, are you guys okay?" Cade nodded and pulled me and Tessa into a fierce hug. He smelled strongly of industrial smoke and sweat, and his t-shirt was stuck to his skin. "What happened?" I asked, my gaze darting between Cade and Tessa. Cade spat some blood out of his mouth before he replied.

"One of those robots of Joyce's shot the ship down. We fell out onto the roof of an apartment block where Savoy met us. He had a gun and just started shooting – didn't even give us a chance to defend ourselves! Anyway, I ran from him and he chased me. Long story cut short; we fought, I chucked a football at him and now the motherfucker's dead." I raised a questioning eyebrow. "Bastard fell out of a ten-storey window. He ain't gonna walk away from that. Anyway, we have the bomb-seed thing." Faint rumbles shook the ground as Optimus approached us.

"Cade, I need you to go with Tessa, Cordelia and the other Autobots to get that bomb over the bridge and out of the city. The Dinobots and I will lead you safely there." Nobody had any time to respond as Optimus and all of the Autobots and Dinobots were hoisted into the air as if by some invisible force.

They somersaulted through the air as the continued to rise and up, only coming to a stop when they slammed into the underside of a building. I allowed my head to tilt back and follow their passage as they continued to ascend. The necklace that Leo and Optimus had given me for my birthday suddenly pointed upwards, pulled by the same invisible force. I looked past Grimlock and Optimus to see Lockdown's enormous ship heading straight for us. It was sucking up anything and everything metallic; cars, road signs and even massive tankers. Once it had sucked them up to a certain extent, it dropped them with devastating accuracy onto the city below. Explosions caused concussions at my feet, the fight or flight instinct rising in me and making itself known. I returned my gaze to Optimus, who was literally clinging to the edge of the building with his fingertips. In his free hand he held his newly acquired shield, out of which shot three rockets, straight into the mouth of Lockdown's magnet. At once Optimus and Grimlock began to fall back towards the earth. Tessa, Cade and I sprinted and scrambled to get out of the way of their tumbling bodies. The force of their huge bodies hitting the ground caused me to lose my balance and fall onto my knees. A long blue leg appeared in front of me, swiftly followed by another. Optimus stood at his full height, standing protectively over me.

"Cordelia, I need to get you out of here, quickly, come with me." He didn't wait for a reply but scooped me quickly up into his hand. "That shot didn't destroy the magnet; only damaged it a little. You need to get out of the city with the others. They're waiting in a car." I opened my mouth to protest, but he gently placed a massive fingertip over my lips. "I'm not going to argue with you Cordelia. I **need** to keep you safe." I sighed and sat back on my heels, my hands flat on his palm as he jogged over to where Tessa, Cade and Joshua Joyce were waiting in a beat-up old blue car. Cade leaned back and opened the back-passenger door. Optimus grasped me lightly between a thumb and forefinger and placed me carefully in the car. He knelt on the ground, bringing his great visage down so that it was level with the car. "I will go in front in my vehicle mode and escort you safely to the hills." He stood, and his body began to fold in on itself until the red and blue Western Star sat in front of us.

Optimus rumbled onto the road and Cade eased the car into gear and followed close behind. Joshua Joyce sat in the passenger seat and Tessa sat anxiously in the back with me. Nestled in between us was the Seed in a black bag, eerily reminiscent of a body bag. I laid my hand gently on her shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" She smiled at me weakly, but it didn't reach her cornflower blue eyes. She shrugged, pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"I'm okay. Better now than I was before anyway. I thought…I thought dad was gonna die back there. Somebody **did** die." She looked down at the black bag, her lip curled in disgust. "Killed all because of that thing." She jerked her chin in its direction. I followed her gaze. The rogue bots were tearing up the city, all for this relatively small hunk of metal.

Cade gripped the wheel tightly as he followed Optimus further and further out of the city. Steadily, the buildings and skyscrapers gave way to the harbours and shipping containers of the fishing district. Joyce was nervously wringing his hands together, looking over his shoulder every few seconds.

"If Prime had managed to shoot that shitty magnet thing properly, we wouldn't be in this mess." Cade turned to look at him incredulously.

"Seriously?! Are you shittin' me? If _you_ had better control of your tech, we wouldn't be in this mess! If you hadn't invented all this crap, the planet wouldn't be in danger!" Joyce held both hands up in surrender.

"Okay, okay! You've got a point. But you brought your family to the apocalypse, and that's just bad parenting." The look that Cade gave him was poisonous enough to make Joyce shut up and squirm down into his seat.

The surface beneath the tyres became abruptly more uneven and bumpy as the car left the road. There was a low rumbling sound, and suddenly a bus flew over our heads and behind us into Lockdown's magnet. Other vehicles around us began to rise off the ground and float upwards towards the enormous ship. The ship moved slowly and easily in front of us in a matter of seconds. The sound of groaning metal filled my ears from every direction as enormous container ships lifted from the ground as if plucked up by the hands of an invisible giant. The car felt as if it was starting to get pulled backwards, as it too became affected by Lockdown's magnet.

Optimus transformed in front of us, using his body to shield us and the car from the relentless oncoming debris. Through the tyres and the chassis of the car, I felt the ground begin to vibrate and tremble as enormous shipping containers were dropped as if they were toys. Joshua Joyce's terrified shrieks fell on resolutely deaf ears as the attention of everybody in the car was taken up by the huge propeller that bounced right over the car and rolled into the water. Optimus bent low over the car, his chin almost touching the bonnet. His optics were wide, his pupils thin and fixed on me.

"Move back! Get cover! Go now!" No sooner had he finished speaking, he was swept off his feet by a huge wave. I could taste the salt in the air mixed with the acrid smell of gunfire and burning metal. Optimus swiftly regained his footing and was jogging after the car again. Cade had thrust the car into reverse and the engine was protesting loudly as the RPM needle climbed ever higher up the gauge.

The wave quickly pursued us, covering several metres of ground within seconds. Lockdown's ship edged ever closer, the damaged magnet still picking up huge container ships and dropping them like toys. The force of the dropped ships' landings sent deep vibrations through the ground that made it difficult for Cade to keep the car on a set course. Through the dirt flecked windscreen, I could periodically see Optimus' calves and feet running and stopping as he deflected falling debris.

The car protested on as Cade pushed it to its limits in an attempt to keep clear of the enormous waves that were beating down relentlessly. The sound of groaning metal filled my ears despite al the chaos going on around us. I turned to look at the source of the noise, and watched the scene unfold in slow motion. Optimus and Bumblebee were running from a falling container ship, the containers it had carried falling like children's playing blocks. One such container was falling right into Optimus' path, and I stupidly reached my hand out as if I could stop it from hurting him. Optimus turned, his blue optics widening in surprise as the great container fell towards him. I watched as his hands came out to press flat against the huge container, deflecting it from him and Bumblebee with next to no effort. My heart resumed a healthier rhythm as Optimus carried on running, not any the worse for wear.

The back end of the car suddenly left the ground, tipping all of us forward as it did so. Tessa and I found ourselves pressed against the front seats, the Seed nestled tightly between us. Joyce and Cade struggled to unbuckle their seatbelt as gravity forced the safety mechanisms to lock in place. The car continued to rise, and we were now about twenty feed from the ground. I managed to unfasten my seatbelt and quickly moved to help Tessa with hers. Cade and Joyce's faces were beetroot red with the combined effort of trying to undo their seatbelts and being pressed against them by the strong force of gravity. Suddenly the car jolted, and its ascension into the air was momentarily halted.

I looked out of the window to see Optimus' fingers locked around the front end of the car, holding it still. His other hand came up and easily opened the passenger's side doors, both front and back. His fingers slipped into the car and found their way into position around my waist. I quickly leaned forward and grabbed the bag the Seed was in before Optimus started to pull me out of the car. His strong fingers held me firmly around my waist and abdomen as he pulled me from uncertainty and into the safety of his strong grasp. He reached up to his right shoulder and put me down in the space between his neck and his metallic collar.

"Hold tight little one; I am going to retrieve the others." His finger brushed my hairline softly before he withdrew his hand and reached back up towards the car. This time, he pushed his fingers into the front and easily ripped the seatbelts from their housings, freeing Joyce and Cade. Then he reached into the back and gathered Tessa in his thick fingers. He gently manipulated her into his palm, locking her in place with his thumb before reaching for Joyce and Cade. He managed to hold the three of them with in one hand with relative ease, although it was a bit of a tight fit. His other hand let the car go and it flew freely into the maw of Lockdown's magnet, becoming a tiny blue speck before disappearing altogether. He placed Tessa next to me on his right shoulder and then transferred Cade and Joyce to his left. With his hands free, Optimus began to push away the debris that had floated into his path.

In the short time it had taken to free us from the car, the water had risen alarmingly fast. It was now up to Optimus' waist, and still rising. He began to wade through the salt water, the mechanisms working hard in his legs to counteract the resistance of the water. I saw him scanning for an appropriate place to haul himself out of the water, and his optics landed on a disused pier. He reached up with both hands and pulled himself clear of the water. It fell from his waist and legs in a mini waterfall, making a huge puddle at his feet. His hands came up to each shoulder, and we quickly climbed into his waiting palms. He set Joyce, Cade and Tessa gently on the ground but raised me to his face, his optics combing over my appearance worriedly. I stood in his palm and placed both of my hands on either side of his nose.

"I'm okay big guy. I promise." At my words, some of the tension left his body and his shoulders visibly relaxed. He leaned gently against me, his helm cool and hard against my face.

"I…I don't want to lose you Cordelia." With difficulty, I placed my hands on his chin and pushed him to meet my gaze.

"You won't. Don't forget, we're in this together." He smiled sadly and kissed my forehead with a soft click of his lip plates before letting me down on the ground. He straightened and looked out at Lockdown's ship. It was losing altitude, coming to rest amongst a cluster of huge industrial chimneys. Optimus simulated a sigh and looked down at me.

"Cordelia; stay with Cade and Bumblebee. I must engage Lockdown. It must be my fight and mine alone."

The only answer I got to my unspoken question was the vibrations of his footfalls as he ran to meet his enemy.


	17. Chapter 17

.

 **TRIGGER WARNING:** There is a rape scene in this chapter. I will mark the beginning and end of it with bold stars (*****) so you can skip it if you wish.

.

I felt totally and utterly hopeless as I watched Optimus run to meet Lockdown. The afternoon sun glinted off his blue armour, casting moving glints of light into my field of vision.

While the others were busy arguing, I made my escape. It was easy to quietly slip away as Tessa desperately pleaded with Cade not to go after Optimus. I effortlessly melted into the throng of panicked people, letting myself be carried along with the frantic crowds for a few seconds until I came to a relatively clear area with a few cars that were still the right side up. My mind was going at a hundred miles per hour, analysing thousands of different ways to get back to Optimus. The red and white paint job of a Hong Kong taxi looked at me and I ran towards it. The driver looked up at me in panic as I opened the passenger door, the sweat on his forehead running down his face. He made a shooing motion at me and barked something at me in Mandarin. Knowing the situation was desperate, I pulled the gun that Optimus had given me back at the Yeagers' farm on him. The combat pistol was small but surprisingly heavy in my hands, a tiny instrument with an insurmountable amount of power. As the man looked at me, fresh terror in his eyes, I offered a silent thanks for that fact that Optimus had had the sense to teach me how to use a gun.

" _I always intend to be here to protect you Cordelia, but you need to be able to defend yourself in the event that I am unable to be there to protect you."_

 _I nodded, trying to swallow past the hard lump that had suddenly formed in my throat. Optimus's human holoform gently slipped a sleek black combat pistol into my hand. I turned it over, marvelling at the surprising heaviness of it, awed by that fact that I held something capable of so much carnage in the palm of my hand. Like always, Optimus sensed my feelings._

" _Easy Lia. Guns don't shoot themselves. Yes, you hold the power of death in your hand, but it is how you decide_ _ **use**_ _that power that counts. I need you to be safe Lia, and I know you will not use that gun unless it is absolutely necessary." I nodded again, feeling my heart beat slow at his reassuring words. Optimus positioned himself so that he was standing behind me, his six-foot eight frame towering over mine. His large hands cupped mine and he rubbed reassuring circles onto the backs of my hands with his thumbs. "Now, stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Use your left hand to support your right…good girl. Now feel the weight of the gun in your hand, allow yourself to get used to it. Don't be surprised once you pull the trigger, it will recoil, and the force will be strong. You're only tiny after all." He winked down at me at these words, his kind blue eyes twinkling in the sunlight._

I shook off the memories. Now was not the time to reminisce. I had to get to Optimus and fight _with_ him. I was not about to sit on the side-lines like some stupid damsel in distress. The taxi driver's eyes widened as he focused on the barrel of the gun. He raised both hands from the wheel and rested them on top of his head. I nodded to him and jerked my head to the side, indicating he should get out. He complied quickly and went to run, but I grabbed his arm, forcing him to turn around.

"Keys?"

He nodded towards the ignition, his eyes still widened in unadulterated fear. I said nothing more but threw myself into the drivers' seat and turned the key. The taxi driver saw his chance and bolted, following the hundreds of other panicked, screaming people. I executed a handbrake turn that under different circumstances, I would have been extremely proud of. The momentum of the turn caused the drivers' door to slam shut and I put the car in gear and stomped down on the acceleration. It wasn't hard to follow Optimus's path, the force of his weight as he had run had left giant craters in the ground, a perfect set of footprints for me to follow.

I sent up smoke from the tires as the car protested at the increased speed. As I drove through the imprint of Optimus's footprint in the ground, the car bounced, and the suspension was severely tested. I hadn't bothered putting the seatbelt on and I was leaning so far forward in the seat that my face was almost touching the steering wheel. I could see the tall structures to my left, with giant Chinese characters painted or carved onto them. I veered to my left, the car bouncing once more as I drove over some abandoned train tracks. Lockdown's ship was getting nearer to the tall structures, and as it got closer and closer, I pressed harder and harder on the acceleration. The car whined in protest, the arrow on the Rev counter was right in the red area. The speedometer read 102 miles per hour, but I was not going to slow down for anybody. My heart sank as I came to a brick wall that the car could not go through. I screeched to a halt, leaping out of the car as it stopped. My heart rose again as I saw a convenient hole in the wall, a hole that was shaped suspiciously like one of Optimus's feet. I scrambled over the bricks and ran towards the abandoned industrial estate.

I took a breath to call Optimus's name but sucked it back in. I knew as soon as he knew I was here, he would abandon the fight against Lockdown to protect me. I could not afford to give him any lapse in judgement. I saw him running towards Lockdown, who had disembarked from his ship. Optimus stepped over a small shack, in which I saw the Seed. I made my way towards it, not knowing what I was planning on doing with it. The feeling of my gun in the waistband of my jeans offered me a little comfort as I made my way into the tiny shack. I bent over the bag that was eerily reminiscent of a body bag that contained the Seed. My breathing was heavy and fast, my shoulders moving up and down rapidly in an attempt to catch my breath. The corrugated walls of the tiny shack made my breathing sound louder than it was, my panting was echoing all around me.

Suddenly, my gun was snatched from my waistband and I whirled round to see who had taken it.

"Attinger?!" My voice came out higher than I expected and Attinger smiled mockingly at me. He tucked the gun into the back of his own trousers and then grabbed me by the throat, slamming me up against the wall.

"You're a real prick tease, do you know that? You're a fucking little slut."

My mind whirred as I tried to remember the self defence that Optimus had taught me after that first attack by Cemetery Wind.

" _Now Lia. You are small, but you can use that to your advantage. May I?"_

 _I nodded, and Optimus positioned me so that I was standing diagonally but still facing him. He lifted my right arm and bent it so that it was at a right angle._ _"If somebody comes towards you, you block with this arm." I did as he said, and he smiled in encouragement. "Now, use my weight against me and push me back." I did as he said again and pushed against his human holoform as hard as I could. He moved right back under my weight and the pair of us fell to the ground. His strong arms formed a protective wall around me, cushioning me from the rough impact of hitting the ground. I smiled at him ruefully._

I acted on the memory, but Attinger already had the upper hand, holding me against the wall by my neck with his arm.

"Now you're gonna pay. You're gonna pay for choosing that alien scum over your own race." I felt anger surge within me as he called Optimus scum, so I did the only thing that I was physically capable of doing at that moment and I spat in his face. It trickled slowly down his check, dribbling underneath his chin and down his neck. His nostrils flared, and I shrank back in fear at the feral expression that was now on his face. A new sort of look had entered his eyes, a grim determination, one that would only be sated once he had achieved his goal. "You came for him? For this?" Attinger kicked the bag that the Seed was in, and a little of it fell out, the silver frame glinting innocently in the sunlight. Then he smiled, a sick, contented sort of smile that made my blood run ice cold.

 *********BEGIN RAPE SCENE**************************************************************

He turned me around at such speed that he caused the wall that I was pressed up against to give me a friction burn on my left forearm. Part of me absent-mindedly wondered why it was always my left side that got hurt in one way or another. He took both of my wrists in one hand, and my struggles were futile. His other hand reached for the gun and I felt the cold barrel pressed against my temple. I focused on taking deep breaths, determined not to let the panic take over my body. He transferred the gun to his left hand, releasing my wrists but keeping the gun pressed against my temple. "If you move so much as one inch, I will blow your fucking brains out. Do you understand?" I nodded, too scared to say anything. Satisfied, he took his right hand away from me.

For the second time in as many minutes, my blood turned to ice in my veins as I heard the tell-tale sound of a zipper being undone. Cold, solid realisation hit me.

"P—please don't." My voice was nothing more than a whimper, but I was scared that if I moved he would stay true to his threat of blowing my brains out. I could not help Optimus if I was dead. He just laughed, a callous cold sound and then I felt his hand grip the waistband of my jeans. He seemed to hesitate for the tiniest second before he yanked my jeans and knickers down, exposing my bare backside. It was stupid then, but I couldn't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks. His hand caressed by my backside briefly, and he purred into my ear.

"This is my payback honey. Don't move a fucking muscle or make a sound. I want to enjoy myself." I just nodded and screwed my eyes as tightly shut as I could manage.

He pressed up against me, his growing erection against my leg. I swallowed back vomit. I felt him fumble and then he let himself inside me. "Ooh. Not as tight as I thought you would be. What other motherfuckers have been in here? Huh? I bet your fucking Prime gives you the ride of your life." Again, I said nothing, but tried to detach myself mentally from the situation. He started then. Grinding himself against me. Once. Twice. Three times. With each new contact he groaned and moaned in ecstasy, his free hand grabbing my hair and pulling it. I focused on that. Not on the feeling of him inside me, just the stabbing pain in my scalp.

"Oh…by God! Holy fuck…oh yeah baby!" He shouted right in my ear and still my tears fell. He got rougher, our bodies starting to move as one. Back and forward. Back and forward. Grunt and moan. Hitched breath and sweat. I focused on the corrugated wall in front of me, trying to pick out patterns in the puckered metal. "Argh! Sweet mother of…not long now baby!" He kissed my ear, my neck, his tongue painting a slow trail of poison down my face, his breath hot in my ear. He bit me hard, and that was when I knew he was nearly there. The final force of him grinding against me would have gone off the Richter scale. He exploded inside of me, crying out in his release. My own body was frozen in fear as he stopped moving and bit down again on my shoulder. He leant against me, panting heavily and then slid himself out. I felt the pressure on my temple disappear and I scrambled as far away as I could from him as the confined space of the shack would allow. I pulled my jeans and knickers up, ignoring the pain in my nether regions.

Attinger caught his breath and zipped his trousers back up and turned to leave. "See ya round. I got a Prime to kill." He ran in the direction of Optimus's and Lockdown's battle, leaving me in a crumpled heap on the floor.

 ************************************End rape scene***************************************

Two minutes passed, and I composed myself enough to get up and get out of that shack. I had the wherewithal to shut the door and conceal the Seed. It would be safe enough there for the time being. I wiped the remaining tears off of my face and went to join in with the fight.

.o

I arrived at the base of the giant concrete chimneys just as Lockdown floored Optimus with a fierce uppercut. Optimus countered with a punch and a headbutt that momentarily stunned Lockdown; his green optics flickering from the force of Optimus' blow. They continued to exchange blows; Optimus kicking and making sharp jabs at Lockdown with his sword while Lockdown tried to find a hole in Optimus' defence.

A small noise diverted my attention from the battle. Cade had also followed Optimus to the battle with Lockdown and was standing with his back to a sandstone wall. Bile rose in my throat as I saw Harold Attinger pointing my own gun at Cade. Before I could even think about what I was doing, I was running towards Cade and Attinger, intent on only one thing; getting between Cade and the gun. In the same instance that I reached the two men, I ran into Optimus' line of sight. I saw his blue optics widen in pure fear, his mouth open in a small 'o'.

"CORDELIA! CADE!" He bellowed our names at the maximum volume that his voice was capable of. He slid towards us on one knee, lowering himself more to our point of view. His shield was extended, and the gun was armed. He fired it straight into Attinger without the slightest hesitation.

Attinger flew high into the air and landed on the ground with a sickening crunch. He lay motionless on his back, a gaping red hole in his chest that was smoking softly. The smell of burnt flesh quickly filled my nostril. Bile rose once more in my throat, threatening to make an unwelcome appearance.

In the two seconds it had taken Optimus to shoot and kill Attinger, Lockdown had recovered and grabbed Optimus' sword, stabbing it hard through his thoracic armour and impaling him to one of the giant chimneys. Optimus' shout of pain ripped through me, causing the fine hairs on the back of my neck to rise.

I ran over to Optimus, but he brought his fist down hard on the floor, causing me to lose my balance. "No Cordelia! Get back!" Before I could reply, a black and yellow Camaro raced past, spilling its solo passenger gently onto the floor next to me. Tessa quickly got to her feet as Bumblebee transformed and began to fight Lockdown alongside Cade. "I ordered you to get the Seed to the mountains! Get away all of you! THIS IS MY FIGHT!" Optimus roared and bellowed in cold fury, but it was to no avail.

I looked around wildly for something to aid us in the fight, and my gaze landed on an old tow truck. With all the willpower in the world, I got to my feet and turned my back on Optimus, ignoring his shouts and desperate orders for me to stay back.

"Tessa! Get in the truck!" Her head snapped up as I shouted her name and she nodded to show that she had heard me over the commutive noise of the battle. She sprinted over to the truck and threw the driver's door open, scrambling up the steps and settling in the driver's seat.

I followed her path around to the back of the truck and grabbed the thick roll cable that was attached to the back of the vehicle. I unravelled it a little and then ran in a wide arc with it, attaching the hook to one of the chains supporting the large cement blocks. Lockdown, busy engaged in battle with Bumblebee and Cade, had not noticed me running around behind him with the roll cable. He stepped back, his ankle joints becoming caught up in the cable. He fell heavily to the floor, momentarily losing grip of his weapon.

This temporary gap in the fight was what Bumblebee and Cade needed to get the upper-hand. They worked together to keep Lockdown grounded, but he quickly recovered from the setback. I sprinted around behind him and grabbed the hook again, this time running towards Optimus with it.

I scrambled up a pile of wood mulch, bringing myself level with the pommel of Optimus' sword. I stole a quick glance up at Optimus' face. He was looking directly at me, his optics wide and fixed on my face.

"CORDELIA, GET AWAY!" He used the maximum volume capacity of his voice and it felt like every bone in my skeleton was vibrating.

I ignored him and launched myself off the mulch pile, holding the hook high over my head. I sailed straight under the sword pommel and managed to attach the hook to it. I landed on my back, sliding down a small mound of mulch.

"Drive!" I yelled at Tessa. She slammed the truck into gear and it lurched forward. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the great sword was pulled clear of Optimus' chest. He jumped into the air at the same time as the sword left his chest completely, executing a graceful 180 degree turn and catching the sword in mid-air.

As he leapt through the air, he held the sword high above his head in both hands and plunged it straight into Lockdown, bringing it up through his chest and head, cutting his torso completely in half. Lockdown fell to the ground, his optics dark and his exposed circuitry sparking.

At once he moved to stand protectively over Cade, Tessa and I. He lowered himself to a half crouch while his right hand toyed with something above our heads.

"I'm setting off Lockdown's grenade, hold tight!" I didn't have time to fully register his words before his huge right hand came down and enveloped all three of us within it. I wrapped my hands tightly around his index finger, and then yelped as my stomach dropped. Optimus was _flying._

We flew over Hong Kong's fishing district; the boats turning into children's toys, bobbing innocently on the brown water.

Optimus started to descend, and we were soon back on solid ground. Optimus knelt to let Cade and Tessa out of his grasp but kept me securely in his fingers. He rose to his full height and held me up to eye level.

"What in the AllSpark were you thinking Cordelia?! You could have been killed!" I looked at him indignantly, experiencing a rare moment where I silenced him with my gaze alone.

"Optimus, you know where you go, I go. That is non-negotiable. Always has been, always will be." He simulated a sigh and closed his optics, exventing through his nose. I moved to sit back against his curled fingers, watching his face carefully. His optics tracked my every move, and I saw that his pupils were like needle-points. I patted his hand in an attempt at comfort. "Hey, relax. It's over." As I said these words, the events of the past few hours crashed through the mental dam that I had established in my brain.

My hands curled into fists as my lungs contracted of their own accord, pushing all the air out of them. I crouched on Optimus' palm, suddenly gasping for breath. Now that the battle was done, I had nothing to distract me from what had happened earlier with Attinger. I struggled to regain control of my breathing, trying in vain to ignore the sense of panic that was swelling up behind my sternum.

Optimus walked a few steps away from the others, rubbing his thumb up and down my back to try and bring me out of the panic attack. I tried to concentrate on the feeling of his thumb on my back, the texture of his palm beneath my hands. Slowly but surely, my breathing regained a steady rhythm and my ribs expanded back to their normal position.

I looked up to see Optimus' great visage, his face full of undisguised worry.

"Cordelia are you hurt?" I winced unintentionally at his use of my full name. I shook my head, afraid that if I spoke, I would crumble completely. Instead, I feigned a runny nose as an excuse to hide my face from him for a few seconds. Optimus was not so easily fooled.

Ever so gently, he placed a finger underneath my chin and moved my face to look him directly in the eye. I couldn't stop one lone tear rolling down my cheek. It painted a line of shame and embarrassment as it fell, and I dropped my eyes from Optimus' gaze, unable to look him in the eye. "Cordelia?" His voice was softer than a whisper, causing goosebumps to rise on my skin. I shook my head at him.

"Later." He frowned but didn't protest. He walked back over to the other Autobots, reaching up to place me on his left shoulder. I moved to sit against the base of his ear finial, absent-mindedly drawing small circles into it with my nails.

"Brave warriors; you are free to go. From the very bottom of my Spark, I thank you for your assistance and fearless defence of this planet." Grimlock nodded at Optimus, and then he and the other Dinobots were gone. Optimus turned to address the Autobots. "Autobots; this Seed belongs to our Creators. Who and where they are, I do not know. What I do know is that they present a clear and danger to this planet. They must be stopped." He produced the Seed seemingly from thin air, holding it in his hand. He examined it carefully for a few seconds before crushing it effortlessly in his fist.

He rubbed both of his hands against each other and then reached up to retrieve me from his shoulder. I had begun to tremble again, and this time I knew I wouldn't be able to hold off the panic attack.

"Easy little one, it's over." For the first time in forever, Optimus' voice did nothing to calm my nerves.

I lay in his palm and gave way to the tide of my emotions.


	18. Chapter 18

We were ushered onto a C17. Bumblebee, Cade, Tessa and the other Autobots were all huddled together at the top end of the plane, albeit a little cramped as the aircraft hadn't been designed to hold several multi-storey high robots all at once.

Optimus sat up against the opposite wall, one knee up to his chest with his other leg stretched out in front of him. I sat limply in his lap, leaning heavily against his abdomen. He worried a thumb over my neck and shoulder, gently massaging my tense muscles.

"Cordelia, when are you going to tell me what's going on?" I didn't look up to meet his gaze, which I knew would be intense and penetrating. I chewed my bottom lip before I answered him.

"There's nothing to tell." I lied, my voice suddenly husky. There was the sound of whirring mechanisms and I was swept up into both of his vast hands. Worry and pain danced across the cerulean blue orbs that were his optics. I couldn't find it within myself to speak, so I dropped my chin to my chest.

" _Please_ Cordelia. I can't bear to see you like this." I turned away from him, shame convincing me that once he heard what I had to say, he would despise me. My heart ached at the mere thought.

Suddenly I was overcome by the urge to vomit. I scrambled to lean over the side of his palm and vomited up thin, stringy bile. I was horrified. At once his fingers were gently pulling my hands back from my face, his little finger wiping my mouth clean. I weakly pushed him away. "Put me down, put me down!" Surprise and hurt flicked across his features, but I didn't look at him long enough to see how long they stayed there.

His hands lowered me to the ground and I ran over and sat behind a pile of military equipment. I sat behind the large boxes, bringing both knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. I heard the tell-tale sign of Optimus' transformation and a small puff of air ruffled my hair as his human sized holoform appeared before me.

There was no other word to describe the look in his face other than pure anguish. He knelt next to me, his hands flat on his thighs.

"Please little one, don't do this to me." His pleading was the last straw, and my tears began to fall unbidden. The look of anguish on his faced turned to outright horror. He gently pulled my arms apart and bundled me into his armoured arms. I clung onto him like a koala bear, crying bitterly into his chest. I could hear his Spark humming furiously behind its casing as he held me. He cupped the back of my head and began to stroke it, rocking me gently to and fro as if I was a baby. "Shh, I've got you Lia. It's okay. I'm here." I clung to him harder still, my tears relentless. My breathing began to speed up, becoming shallower with each passing breath. "Cordelia, come on now. Work with me. I'm here and you're safe. Breathe with me." He began to cycle air through his vents at a steady pace, first in, then out. In, then out. I tried to follow his lead, but it was like somebody had blindfolded me and turned me loose in a maze.

I had no idea what to do and no idea what was going to happen. Logic gave way to fear as black spots began to dance across my vision. My ribs were tightened in an invisible vice, squeezing what little air was left in my lungs out. I began to hyperventilate, hiccupping as my diaphragm struggled to keep up with my out of control breathing.

Optimus pulled me into his lap, moving his hands down to my shoulders. "Cordelia, come on. I need you to breathe. You are safe, you are with me on the aircraft. Come on now, with me. One, two, three." He counted slowly and steadily, but I couldn't reach him past the fog in my mind. My ribs were screaming in protest at the vice, but it only got tighter.

"I ca..ca..I can't!" I managed to shout, but my voice was barely my own. It was a shrill, high-pitched shriek of terror and desperation. I reached out to Optimus with tremors I couldn't contain, both of my hands shaking violently and somewhat painfully.

Cold sweats and shivers began to pave their way down my body, starting at my neck and working their way quickly down. The tremors in my hands only intensified and I struggled to keep holding on to Optimus. I was hardly aware of his gentle hands on my back, didn't hear his gentle baritone rumble in my ear.

The black spots dancing across my vision turned into bigger black blobs. My head became heavy and fell forward, my neck unable to support its weight. Optimus gently tilted my head backwards, so my throat was exposed to him. My breathing now became laboured and heavy, the shallow breaths of five minutes before a thing of the past.

Keeping my eyes open became a herculean effort. My hands reached blindly for Optimus; but never found their target. My chest rose and fell with each laboured breath as my heart galloped relentlessly, setting a steady tattoo behind my ribcage.

Before I knew what was happening, my eyes had rolled back into my head and the warmth grasp of darkness had me firmly in its hold. I shut my eyes and let it envelop me, becoming blissfully aware of the beautiful sensation of nothingness.

.o

Optimus caught Cordelia's head as her entire body went limp. Her green eyes were shielded behind her pale eyelids, her cheeks pale and drawn. He cupped the back of her head, performing a quick scan. Adrenaline was present in her bloodstream, though it was dissipating quickly as her heart calmed down to a steadier rhythm.

Optimus arranged her into the recovery position, ensuring her head was in an upwards direction to prevent her swallowing her tongue or choking. His hand lingered on her cheek before pushing a strand of stray auburn hair behind her ear.

The panic attack had claimed her consciousness quickly this time, and Optimus' processor whirled at a hundred miles an hour wondering what had brought it on. It was not like Cordelia to get into a panicked and anxious state because of battle. She'd been in worse battles than the one they'd just endured in Hong Kong, and she'd never reacted to any of them in this way before.

He draped a long arm over Cordelia's slender shoulders and waited for her to regain consciousness.

.o

The aircraft floor was cold beneath my cheek as I opened my eyes. A gentle weight was present on my shoulders, and I knew without looking that it was Optimus. He'd put me into the recovery position, my head tilted upwards. I shakily pushed myself into a sitting position and Optimus' hands slipped underneath my arms and lifted me effortlessly. He held me steady as he got to his feet and then brought his right arm into the bend in my knees, sweeping me up off the ground and carrying me bridal style. He walked over to the Western Star truck and lifted me carefully into the passenger's seat. He materialised beside me.

"Are you okay?" I nodded feebly, not raising my eyes to meet his penetrating gaze. "Cordelia, please." He said, curling a hand underneath my chin and tilting my face up to meet his. He moved his hand to cover my cheek. I sighed and placed my hand over his, drawing small circles into his knuckles with my nails. He offered me a bottle of water and I took it gratefully, chugging down a large amount of liquid. "Not too much too quickly Lia, easy does it now."

I wiped the back of my mouth with my hand.

"I'm feeling okay. How long was I out for?" He looked relieved as I spoke.

"Not long. Only about forty seconds or so. That was one of the most intense attacks I've seen you have in a long time."

I didn't answer straight away but twiddled my thumbs together before speaking.

"Can we move back to the sleeper? I need…I need to talk to you about something."

"Of course." He was so eager for me to finally talk to him that he practically pulled me through to the sleeper and set me tenderly on the bed.

"Before I tell you, I need to ask you a favour." He got to his knees in front of me and took my hands in his, resting them on my lap.

"Anything little one. All you need do is ask."

I took a deep breath. "What I'm about to tell you is painful. I don't want to see the disappointment or…look on your face when I tell you." He opened his mouth to speak, but I held up a hand to stop him. "Just humour me okay?" He nodded, confusion written all over his face. "When I tell you; will you spoon me? Just hold me to your body as I'm talking."

In answer he lay down on the bed, tucking his legs up so that all of his body was on the mattress. He shuffled up against the blue wall of the sleeper and opened his arms for me. I laid down with my back to him, pushing my body up against his, moulding myself to him. His arms made a circle around my waist and I wrapped my hands around his.

Panic attacks always left me lethargic and shaky, and this one had been no different. I laid my cheek on his forearm, knowing he would be able to feel the new tears as they trickled down my face.

"Easy little one. I'm right here, right now. I'm not going anywhere." He brushed his lip plates along my hair, clicking in one of his signature kisses.

"It isn't easy, I don't know where to begin." He squeezed my hands encouragingly.

"Just begin wherever you want to little one. Wherever you want to. I'll listen regardless of what order you tell it in."

I took a deep breath and began to talk.

As I told Optimus what had happened, I waited for his reactions. I felt every shock absorber and spring in his body coil in ice cold rage; heard his lip plates grind together as I described everything in vivid detail. I head his audio covers begin to spin furiously and his thoracic armour began to heat up as his Spark hummed furiously in its casing.

He tightened his grip around my waist as I told him of the gun, of Attinger's grim determination and of his violence. I heard the whine of static as he struggled to keep regulating air through his vents as I told him of Attinger's wish to kill me, of the way his hand had fisted in my hair.

"Optimus…I've never felt so… _ashamed._ I mean when it used to happen with dad…I could zone out and pretend I wasn't there. But with Attinger…I just couldn't! I mean, what the fuck is wrong with me?! All I can think is that I must be cursed? How can this have happened **again**?! I mean what the fuck?!

"I played right into his hands! For fuck sake! I'm so predictable! He was probably tailing me right from the fucking start! To let him take the gun right from me! I mean you **showed** me what to do for crying out loud! You showed me how to defend myself and I couldn't do it! I should have just died all those years ago! You should never have caught me, never!"

The sobs overtook my body as the feelings of shame, guilt and cold dread seeped from my heart and through my veins. It made my limbs cold and heavy, but it was nothing compared to the fear of Optimus' reaction.

His servos whirred as he pulled us both into a sitting position on the bed. He rearranged me in his arms so that he was cradling me like a baby. He pushed the hair off my face, tucking it behind my ears. His optics were misty, and I was shocked to see tears that had yet to fall from them.

"Never, **ever** say that again. Do you hear me? I never want to hear you say that again Cordelia. A world without you in it is not worth living in. How many times do I have to tell you? You are the most important person in my life; I love you more than I have **ever** loved anyone or anything.

"I **will** never regret catching you. You have made my life worth living again Cordelia, you have given me purpose and hope. Without you I am nothing, without you, I simply cease to be." He cupped my face in both of his large hands, the tears streaming freely down both of our faces.

We clung to each other, and like that, our souls healed a little more.

.o

We got back home to Montana and the ranch after two days of travelling. Cemetery Wind had been disbanded, and Optimus had been in and out of meetings over the past thirty-six hours. Government officials, secret security services and the leader of the world had all met with Optimus and given him their demands.

He had given them all the same answer.

"Right now, I need to be with my family."

As we pulled into the horseshow shaped driveway, the sight of the ranch house took my breath away. It looked just the same, just a little tired and in need of some love. We had been gone for almost two years, but it still felt like _home._

Optimus materialised his holoform outside the passenger door and opened it for me. He carried my small hold-all bag over one shoulder. He held his arms out to me and lifted me graciously from the cab, setting me down next to him. We walked to the house holding hands, and like that, I felt like I could conquer the world.

.o

We'd been home for two days when Leo turned up.

He stormed through the front door in a rage, coming to a halt in the kitchen. We stared at each other for a few seconds, each drinking in the other's appearance. He almost looked the same, just older and more tired. His nose was still adorably crooked, and he still had thick brown curls on top of his head that were absolutely untameable. A five o'clock shadow adorned his jaw, giving him a more chiselled appearance. His eyes had changed. They were more guarded, less emotion present in his blue irises.

He crossed the room in three strides and crushed me to him. His chest was firmer and more muscular than I remembered. My arms found their way to his neck and wrapped around it in a vice-like grip. He rested his chin on the top of my head, enveloping in the safety of his six-foot three-inch frame. His kissed my forehead fiercely, without pause.

"Oh my god Cordelia, where were you?! I thought you were dead!"

"I'm so sorry Leo, I'm so sorry. Cemetery Wind were after me and Optimus and we thought it was safer if you didn't know anything. Oh, Leo I never would have forgiven myself if anything had happened to you. You mean so much to me. I love you too much."

He let out a sigh which ruffled my hair.

"Aww Lia, I'm just glad you're safe. I've exhausted every resource at my disposal to try and find you, but I couldn't find even the tiniest trace of either you or Optimus. It was as if you'd just disappeared off the face of the earth! What happened?"

I offered him a weak smile. "I'll tell you over dinner. Deal?"

He grinned widely at me. "Deal."

.o

One week meted into another, and life slowly attained a new normal at the ranch. The governments of the world had an uneasy alliance with the Autobots, distrust clearly present on both sides. Optimus frequently had to drive long distances to meet with various officials, always declining to meet near the ranch.

"I don't want you anywhere near this if I can help it" he'd said before leaving on one such trip.

Since I'd told him what had happened with Attinger, depression had hit him hard. He was full of self-doubt, about his ability to care for and protect me and his ability to be a good leader for his Autobots. It was heart-breaking to see him crumbling on a daily basis, but I knew he would only let me help when he was ready.

He would wake screaming in the night, shouting that he would kill Attinger. Often, I would also wake screaming in the night, and then the pair of us would hold each other until one or both of us drifted off to the realm of sleep or recharge.

It was on one such night that I woke at 2:26am, covered in a cold sweat. I got up and vomited in the en-suite bathroom. Optimus lay on his stomach on the double bed, his cheek resting on his left forearm. I pulled the duvet up to cover his shoulders, knowing he wouldn't be aware of its presence. Doing this resulted in his feet being exposed, but they dangled off the edge of the bed anyway, so I figured he couldn't mind too much about it.

I washed my mouth out in the sink and doused my face with cold water. I studied my reflection in the bathroom mirror. My face looked fuller, and my hair had a definite shine about it. The freckles across my nose and cheeks were on a canvas of peachy cream skin that was usually an alabaster pale. I watched my fingers dance across my cheek, rubbing it as if they could erase the freckles.

The warm August night did nothing to stop me shivering, so I went to the bathroom door and took the smooth satin bathrobe from where it hung on the hook. It was a pale duck egg blue colour and only had three quarter length sleeves, but it was something over my shoulders. I tied my auburn hair into a loose bun at the nape of my neck, just in the nick of time as my stomach revolted yet again.

After vomiting for the eighth time in a row, I decided to go out on to the balcony outside the bedroom. There were a couple of sun loungers out there that Optimus had purchased two summers ago and the thought of laying on them under a blanket was rather appealing.

I grabbed the Native American blanket off the back of the old chair that sat by the fireplace in the bedroom and made my way outside. The air was a comfortable temperature, and a nice feeling on my skin. I laid down on the sun lounger, arranging the blanket so that I was covered up to my chin.

The night sky was a deep, midnight blue, scattered with countless silver stars. The low hum of the crickets chirping was a welcome relief from the confusion and guilt that had been going around in my brain like a hurricane all day.

I sat on the lounger, staring off into space, wondering how I was going to get over this. It had taken me so long to deal with what my father had done to me for all those years. The thought of doing it all over again was enough to nearly send me over the edge.

I looked back over my shoulder and through the French doors that led back into the bedroom. Through them I could see Optimus' recumbent form on the bed. I smiled to myself, knowing that neither of us would go through the coming difficulties alone.

.o

It was late morning when Optimus gently shook me awake. He was holding a plate full of food, a small smile present in his optics. The smell of the bacon made my mouth water, but as soon as I caught the smell of the fried eggs, my stomach protested violently.

I shot up from the sun lounger and sprinted to the bathroom, making it to the toilet just in time. Smooth metal hands tidied my hair back from my face. "Optimus, you shouldn't have to see this." He just 'tsked' and took no notice of me, kneeling to place the back of his hand against my forehead.

"Hmm, 98.6 Fahrenheit. It isn't a high temperature. Do you have a stomach ache?" I shook my head in between retches.

"No, I just feel really sick." I spat what I hoped was the last of it into the bowl of the toilet and got shakily to my feet.

"I'll run you a bath." Optimus said, turning the hot tap on and pouring a generous amount of bubble bath into the tub. "It'll help you to relax." I nodded in agreement and pulled a fresh towel from the linen cupboard. "I will wait outside if you need me." He left the room, pulling the door softly shut behind him.

The fragrant smell of lavender and jasmine started to fill the bathroom as the bath got deeper. I took off my pyjamas, leaving them in a huddled heap on the floor and stepped into the water. I sat down and let the water wash over my body, easing all the tension out of my muscles.

I shut my eyes, sinking right into the water until it was up to my chin. The bath in the master bedroom en-suite was the most luxurious bath I'd ever been in. It was almost set into the floor, and one almost had to step down into it instead of up. The panel of the bath was lined with a rustic panel of wood, matching the vanity unit that sat parallel to the huge window. A large, ornate mirror sat over the vanity unit, casting more light from the window around the room. The walls were a pale cream colour, accentuated by the wooden beams running across the ceiling.

An hour passed, and when my fingers began to grow wrinkly at the ends, I pulled the plug and stepped out of the bath. I wrapped myself up in the fluffy towel, enjoying the soft sensation against my bare skin. I dried myself quickly and dressed in a pair of ripped jeans and a soft blue knitted jumper. I towel dried my hair, leaving the rest to dry naturally.

After dumping my dirty laundry in the basket, I made my way downstairs. Optimus was in the kitchen, washing up the dishes from my uneaten breakfast. I smiled at him apologetically.

"Sorry big guy, I don't know what happened there." Optimus turned, chucking the tea towel over his right shoulder.

"No harm done little one. I'm just sorry you were so poorly this morning and through the night. Anyway, I've made you a replacement breakfast." He said with a wink. He set a bowl of porridge with strawberries and raspberries on the table. "Bon appétit, madame." I raised an eyebrow at him, offering a small smile.

I sat down and began to eat. As soon as the first mouthful hit my stomach, nausea clawed its way up my throat. I got up so forcefully that my chair went flying halfway across the kitchen. I made it out of the back door just in time, my stomach contracting violently, forcing everything that had been in it out.

Bile dripped from my mouth in stringy ribbons, soft and shiny when it landed on the grass.

Optimus was at my side in seconds. "That's it. I'm taking you to the pharmacy."

.o

The drive into town was excruciating. The ranch was situated right in the middle of a cluster of mountains, surrounded by a thick pine forest. The nearest down meant enduring ten miles of windy, twisty and treacherous country roads.

Usually these kinds of roads didn't bother me, but the nausea was almost unbearable. Optimus kept having to pull over, so I could be sick on the side of the road, and a journey that usually took half an hour took nearly two.

At long last, Optimus pulled up outside Heartland Pharmacy. He hadn't even achieved a full stop before I leapt out of the cab and sprinted into the shop.

Optimus' human holoform quickly followed me in, and he approached the pharmacist behind the till. "Hello, I need something for my daughter, she is unable to stop vomiting…" I zoned out, a cold sweat breaking out on my forehead and the back of my neck as a horrific thought occurred to me. I walked up to the pharmacist.

"Excuse me, do you have a toilet?"

"Yes dear, just through the back. Take as long as you need my dear." I nodded a quick thank you and jogged through to the toilet, grabbing a white box off the shelf as I passed.

I shut the door behind me, and quickly pulled my trousers down and sat on the toilet. I placed the white stick underneath me and let go of the liquid in my bladder.

It was the longest three minutes of my life.

I pulled it out from underneath me and shook it. I took a deep breath before casting my gaze downwards.

One word appeared in the little plastic window.

 _Pregnant._


End file.
